The solar system is full of objects and new discoveries take place almost daily. Some of these objects challenge our ability to name and categorize them. Are there nine planets? Eight? Ten? Dozens? Small objects of rock, metal and ice are extremely numerous and are puzzle pieces for the evolution of the solar system.

NASA is actively engaged in exploration of these objects. DEEP IMPACT successfully struck a comet nucleus in July, STARDUST is bringing back comet particles in January, DAWN is scheduled to launch in June to explore Main Belt asteroids, NEW HORIZONS will explore Kuiper Belt objects after its Pluto flyby, the European Space Agency's ROSETTA is on its way to asteroids and a comet, Japan's HAYABUSA sits just seven kilometers away from an asteroid, and ground based observatories are probing the objects at the extreme edges of our solar system.

Please join scientists and engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for an educator conference on these objects. The conference will take place all day Saturday, December 3 and half day Sunday, December 4 at JPL in Pasadena, California. The conference is open to all educators including museum staff. High school students and above may attend. Anyone under sixteen years of age must be accompanied by an adult (parent or teacher).

Click here for more information and to register for this event.