TESS Public Education Center

TESS - Planetary Defense Learning Center

Clear public education for asteroids, comets, close approaches, observatory science, emergency communication, and the practical work of protecting Earth. Built for students, families, educators, volunteers, and Planetary Defense Foundation mission supporters.

Start Learning Asteroid Watch Network View public docs on GitHub

Five-step learning path

1

Know the objects

Learn the difference between asteroids, comets, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites.

2

Find the orbit

Understand sky positions, follow-up observations, uncertainty, and orbit refinement.

3

Read the risk

Interpret distance, size, velocity, Torino-scale style context, and why most alerts are informational.

4

Build the network

See how observatories, sensors, Raspberry Pi hubs, cameras, and public data streams connect.

5

Share responsibly

Use calm, sourced public communication that separates science updates from emergency instructions.

Core classroom modules

Asteroids & comets 101

  • Near-Earth object vocabulary
  • Why comets can be harder to predict early
  • Size, albedo, brightness, and uncertainty

Impact risk basics

  • Close approach does not mean impact
  • Risk changes when more observations arrive
  • How to read public NASA/JPL-style data responsibly

Observatory science

  • Telescope pointing and tracking
  • Astrometry and timestamps
  • Image calibration and repeatable reporting

Defense missions

  • Survey telescopes and early detection
  • Kinetic impactors and orbit deflection
  • International coordination and warning timelines

Citizen science

  • What backyard observers can contribute
  • Public-safe node reports
  • Ethical handling of raw data and locations

Emergency literacy

  • Trusted sources first
  • No panic amplification
  • How official alerts differ from education dashboards

Responsible public interpretation

This learning center is educational. It is not an official emergency-warning system. Public impact-risk information should be cross-checked against authoritative sources such as NASA/JPL CNEOS, the Minor Planet Center, ESA planetary defense resources, and local emergency-management agencies when applicable.

Practical public guides

DEFWhat is Planetary Defense?A plain-language overview of detection, tracking, deflection, warning, and preparedness. TESSHow TESS Detects ThreatsHow public NASA/JPL data, observatory readiness, and TESS mission dashboards fit together. HELPHow Civilians Can HelpResponsible public participation: observe, report carefully, prepare calmly, and share verified sources. COMMSEmergency Communication PolicyVerified-data-first communication rules, calm wording, and official-source boundaries. READYAsteroid Impact PreparednessPractical all-hazards preparedness for families and communities, written for rare impact scenarios.

Explore next

NEOAsteroid Watch NetworkConcept architecture for distributed observation, detection, and public dashboards. NODENode BlueprintHardware and workflow plan for a small observatory node. LIVELive Threat DashboardEducational NEO data display with public context and disclaimers. OBSObservatoryPublic observatory pages and the broader TESS mission infrastructure.

TESS - Planetary Defense Foundation ยท Protecting Earth through education, observation, and responsible public communication.

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