Edinburgh International Science Festival
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******Press Release****** 

SunBlock '99: Young Scientists Investigate the Sun
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SunBlock '99 :             launch of the SunBlock '99 www site,
                           Assembly Rooms: 9-11th April.
                           SunBlock '99 team Contacts

			    Dr Helen Mason (Camb. Univ.)
			    Tel: 01223 337898
			    email: H.E.Mason@damtp.cam.ac.uk

			    Dr Dave Pike (Rutherford Appleton Lab.)
			    Tel: 01235 445835
			    email: cdp@ast.star.rl.ac.uk

                            Dr Robert Walsh (St Andrews Univ.)
			    Tel: 01334 463711
			    email : robert@dcs.st-and.ac.uk

                            Mr Alan Yate (Educational Consultant)
			    ajy2@tutor.open.ac.uk

			    Dr Klaus Galsgaard (St Andrews Univ.)
			    email: klaus@dcs.st-and.ac.u

Related lectures which may be of interest:

Our Dynamic Sun:           Dr Helen Mason, lecture, Royal Museum
                           2-3pm, 10th April.

The Eclipse of the Sun:    Prof Ken Phillips, lecture
                           5-6pm, 11th April.

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The Sun, our nearest star, provides all the light and heat
needed for life on Earth. It is no wonder that ancient 
civilisations worshipped it as a god. On 11th August 1999
a total eclipse of the Sun will be visible from parts of
the UK. It will provide a spectacular display, but why 
is it so interesting?

SunBlock `99 is a World Wide Web based educational project 
which seeks to answer this question by presenting the very 
latest solar research. Through a range of multi-media activities, 
young scientists from all over the UK (our solar guides) take us 
on an amazing journey of discovery to one of the most fascinating 
places in our solar system.

SunBlock '99 is a web-site which gathers together like never before
the whole spectrum of solar images and movies from a range of 
solar space observatories. It is aimed at secondary school children 
(aged 13-16 years) and has been produced by a team of young solar scientists 
and teachers. Not only does SB'99 provide a visually appealing introduction 
to the study of our Sun, but also introduces a unique link between the 
classroom science lesson and the research scientist ``out in the field''. 
Young scientists from all over Britain, who are at the cutting edge of
international research, through SB'99 communicate some fundamental
scientific principles in a fun and interesting manner.
 
SB'99 covers a wide selection of topics addressed in the National Science 
Curriculum. It will be a useful reference for project work for key 
Stages 3 and 4 with coverage of a wide range of physical processes.

The Sun may appear tranquil, but actually it is an incredibly dynamic
object with violent explosions spitting millions of tons of material out
at us at unimaginable speeds. We are in an unprecedented era in solar
research. We are able to watch the Sun's every move with a satellite
called SOHO - the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. 

Launched in December 1995, SOHO carries many instruments which monitor 
different types of radiation from the visible to the ultraviolet.
Located one million miles away from the Earth towards the Sun, SOHO
monitors the solar environment twenty-fours hours a day.

SunBlock '99 is organised by a team from the Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory and the Universities of St Andrews and 
Cambridge, together with educational consultants.
The production of the web pages has, in part, been sponsored 
by PPARC and the Millennium Mathematics Project.

Web site addresss (available from 9th April)

http://www.sunblock99.org.uk