The whyJWST Video Competition

Dear Science Warriors:

JWST Primary Mirrors and Technicians

In the next few years, the Hubble Space Telescope—a triumph of science and technology that has yielded a multitude of discoveries and inspired millions worldwide—will be shut down. Fortunately, NASA is in the process of building its successor: the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Scheduled to launch in 2018, the JWST will give us an unprecedented view of the heavens. Scientists will use the JWST to study the formation of galaxies, stars, and planetary systems. Perhaps most intriguing, the telescope will allow us to view the light of stars formed a mere 400,000 years after the Big Bang and will expand our knowledge of how the universe we know today came to be.

Unfortunately, on July 13, 2011, the House Appropriations Committee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies voted to shut down the JWST program. This was devastating news for the scientific community and space enthusiasts in the United States and abroad. Within days of the announcement, we launched an online grassroots campaign (saveJWST) to the Save the James Webb Space Telescope, creating a Facebook fan page, online petition, and this blog. Our mission is to spread the word about the importance of the JWST and encourage people to contact their congressional representatives to save the program.

In an effort to raise public awareness for the troubled JWST, we are thrilled to announce The whyJWST Video Competition:

That's right, a Video Competition! If you feel passionately about the JWST and would like to see it fly; if you believe American science and our collective human destiny need this important successor to the Hubble to study exoplanets in search of life, to unlock the secrets of the birth of the universe and our future in it, then put in your two cents for thousands to see! Create a video celebrating and/or championing the JWST and submit it to the whyJWST Video Competition. Do this and you could win big. Your video can also help bring much needed attention to the funding troubles of the James Webb Space Telescope. The video can help to educate the public about JWST's fate. It can explore the science behind JWST. You can also direct the video as a plea toward Congress or the voting public. Your imagination is the only limit. Create a video and we will post the best submissions on the saveJWST youtube channel.

The Prize:
Our prize is astronomical. Literally:

One of the Faulkes Telescope

The winner of the whyJWST Video Competition will be granted 1 hour of access to the 2-meter Faulkes Telescope In Hawai'i or Australia to image any celestial object of their choosing (excluding planets in our Solar System) between 0900 and 1700 UT, Monday-Friday. The two telescopes, which cost $8 million each, have some of the most sensitive CCD (charged-coupled device) cameras in the world, and can be operated remotely from a personal computer.

Technical Prize Details: The winner will be able to log in with a specially created account, slew to the target, and image the heavens for 1 hour. If the hour is lost to weather or any technical issues, the account will have another 60 minutes granted to it. For more information about the Faulkes Telescopes, check out their website: www.faulkes-telescope.com. Note that planets may not be observed, as they cause significant ghost image on the CCD.

Faulkes Telescope Hawaii. Click to Embiggen

How to Enter:

• The whyJWST Video Competition ends Sunday October 9, 2011 at 11:59 pm. Videos will not be accepted after this deadline. The winner will be selected and announced by Friday October 21, 2011
• All video submissions should be loaded directly onto your youtube.com account. When you upload the video, you will have an opportunity to tag the video. Simply tag the video "whyJWST". Please see the video below for detailed instructions on how to upload a video onto youtube.com:

• After the video is uploaded and appropriately tagged, you will need to send an email to saveJWST@gmail.com. Please include the following: Subject Line should read "whyJWST Video Competition." In the body of the email please include your 1) name, 2) email address, 3) a link to your whyJWST youtube video, 4) and a 10-character handle or username. The handle or username will be used to identify you as the video author if the video submission is posted publicly.
• Videos may be no longer than 3 minutes in length.
• Videos must be original. You must obtain a release for any persons or properties appearing in the video submission. This includes music or images protected by copyright, among other properties. See Original Work of Authorship section of the official rules, below.
• The whyJWST Video Competition is open to any human on Earth or in Low Earth Orbit. However, only adults can submit a video. Whether or not a person is legally considered an adult will be defined by the standards and laws of the nation and jurisdiction in which that person resides. If you are underage and still wish to participate, then please have a parent or guardian submit your video on your behalf.
• For any questions on how this process works, please send an email to saveJWST@gmail.com. For questions, please include the subject line "whyJWST Question".

Faulkes Telescope. Click to Embiggen

Legal Rules and Standards:

Eligibility:: Anyone is eligible to enter and participate. Entrants may be citizens of any nation on Earth. Submissions will be considered irrespective of national origin, religious background, political affiliation, gender, sex, ethnicity, age, or race. Minors of any nation may also participate, but must have a parent or guardian submit their video ON THEIR BEHALF. Minor status will be ascertained according to the customs and laws of the nation where the entrant resides.

Entry Rules:: First, the entrant must upload their video submission to their personal youtube account. Then, the entrant must tag the video submission specifically with the tag "whyJWST" on the youtube website.. Finally, the entrant must Send their name, email, entrant-created username or handle, and link to the youtube video submission to the following email address: saveJWST@gmail.com. By entering, each participant agrees to be bound by the rules and regulations of this competition. One Winner from the pool of entrants will be selected by a panel of judges comprised of saveJWST volunteers. The Winner will be selected on the success by which their video articulates an emotional and/or intellectual connection to the James Webb Space Telescope, as determined by the sole discretion of the judges. SaveJWST volunteers reserve the right to disqualify any submission saveJWST determines is offensive, inappropriate, not in keeping with saveJWST's image, or that an Entrant has not otherwise complied with these Official Contest Rules. The Winner will be selected on Friday October 21, 2011 by the judges, whose decision shall be final. The Winner will be notified by email to the email address provided in the Entrant's email within approximately 5 of days of the judging and are required to respond within 3 days of transmission of that email notice. If winner fails to respond within that time period, the prize will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner chosen from the remaining entrants in the pool. By entering, all entrants release saveJWST, and its volunteers, affiliates, subsidiaries, vendors, agencies, suppliers and all others associated with the development or execution of this Competition from any and all liability with respect to, or in any way arising from, this Contest or the acceptance, possession or use of any prizes including, without limitation, liability for any personal injury, damage or loss.

Faulkes Telescope. Click to Embiggen

Use of Entrant Information:: Entrant information will be used wholly by the saveJWST volunteers. However, an entry, except where prohibited by law, constitutes a grant of permission to saveJWST or its agents to include the winner's name in connection with a Winner's List without further notice. The use of personal contact information gathered in connection with this promotion will be treated in accordance with respect to privacy and not released to anyone under any condition OUTSIDE of this competition.The entrant is directed to created a username for the purposes of protecting the entrant's privacy.

Prizes: The winner of the whyJWST Video Competition will be granted 1 hour of access to the 2-meter Faulkes Telescope In Hawai'i or Australia to image any celestial object of their choosing (excluding planets in our Solar System) between 0900 and 1700 UT, Monday-Friday. The two telescopes, can be operated remotely from a personal computer. The winner will be able to log in with a specially created account, slew to the target, and image the heavens for 1 hour. If the hour is lost to weather or any technical issues, the account will have another 60 minutes granted to it. For more information about the Faulkes Telescopes, check out their website: www.faulkes-telescope.com. Note that planets may not be observed, as they cause significant ghost image on the CCD.

Original Work of Authorship:

A) By submitting an entry, Entrant warrants, certifies and represents that: (i) the video submission is original to Entrant, he/she is the sole and exclusive owner of the copyrights in and to the video submission, and has obtained a release from all persons appearing in the video, and from all owners of property appearing in the video submitted for consideration; and (ii) Entrant has the full and exclusive right, power and authority to submit the video entry, and to grant the saveJWST volunteers the right to present the submission to the public, without further compensation.

B) If the submission contains any material or elements that are not owned by the Entrant and/or that are subject to the rights of third parties, the Entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the video, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the Video by the saveJWST volunteers. This includes, but is not limited to, music and images protected by copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, right of privacy, right of publicity, and any other third party rights. Upon request, Entrant shall provide saveJWST with copies of all such consents/releases/permissions.

Faulkes Telescope. Click to Embiggen

Grant of License: By submitting an entry and in consideration of the opportunity to win the prize described herein which Entrant acknowledges is good and valuable consideration, Entrant grants the saveJWST volunteers the perpetual right and license to reproduce, distribute, transmit, and/or display any and all parts of the Video in all existing and future media, including but not limited to the saveJWST websites, or in any other manner in saveJWST's discretion, without attribution or further compensation. Use of a submission by the saveJWST volunteers does not suggest in any way that the Entrant is a winner.

Right of Privacy: By submitting an entry and in consideration of the opportunity to win the prize described herein which Entrant acknowledges is good and valuable consideration, Entrant grants the saveJWST volunteers the right and permission to use his/her name, voice, biographical information, likeness, and any other indication of Entrant's identity, and any statements made by Entrant, including excerpts thereof (collectively the "Publicity Rights"), in connection with the Entrant's video and the #whyJWST Video Competition, for use on the saveJWST websites and for display on the savetheJWST youtube.com channel, in all forms of media, worldwide in perpetuity, without further notice or compensation, except where prohibited law. Entrant agrees to release and discharge the saveJWST volunteers from all claims for damages arising from or relating to publication, use or distribution of the Video and Publicity Rights.LEGAL WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE, DESTROY, TAMPER OR VANDALIZE THE WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROMOTION, OR INTERFERE WITH THE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST, IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND THE saveJWST VOLUNTEERS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND DILIGENTLY PURSUE ALL REMEDIES AGAINST ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Faulkes Telescope. Click to Embiggen

Good Luck!

And follow the competition at our youtube channel: savetheJWST youtube channel

@neoteotihuacan

Faulkes Telescope Australia. Click to Embiggen