Our planet is constantly being observed by satellites in space, collecting information about hundreds of different components of the Earth-system. All of these variables can be examined for features and patterns, and color helps in this process. Students of Earth is a production based on the GLOBE Earth Systems Poster Activity and modified for use on the Science on a Sphere. The activity guides the viewer through the process of understanding false-colored data, along with how to interpret images, time series, and even compare features from one dataset to another.
Two versions are available. A docent-led piece contains talking points, questions, and the appropriate playlists to run the activity as it is done in a classroom. This version, an autorun production, allows SOS installations without docents to run through the same activities. Both versions emphasize interaction between the viewer and the sphere. This piece is about seven minutes long..