Art Challenge

Do you love making art and using your imagination? So do we!

May 2024 Art Challenge Selections

Draw how you imagine lightning to look!

Illustration of lightning striking through a castle floating in the sky.

Anna, 13

Side by side illustrations of a modern person understanding the science behind lightning and an ancient person scared of lightning.

Archan, 9

Illustration of lightning in a sky of dark clouds.

Arsh, 10

A cardboard box and construction paper depicting a scene of lightning striking the ground.

Caden, 10

Illustration of purple lightning in a dark sky with negative charges in the clouds and positive charges on the ground.

Elladya, 9

Illustration of lightning striking near a lake, with its reflection visible in the lake.

Evelyn, 11

Illustration of neon lines swirling in cloudy mist.

Ishaan, 8

Paper cutouts of lightning, clouds and a spacecraft.

Jana, 10

Paper cutouts representing the inside of a bedroom with lightning in the sky outside the window.

Kingston, 9

Various craft materials pasted together to depict lightning striking near a forest.

Klaudia, 6

Illustration of a city skyline with lightning striking from the clouds in the sky.

Leah, 11

Illustration of a lightning storm over the ocean, being watched by a spacecraft in the sky.

Lilly, 10

Paper cutouts of clouds in the sky with lightning below them.

Luna, 9

Illustration of lightning inside a glass container.

McKenzie, 10

Illustration of a person inside a building, looking out the window at a lightning storm over the city skyline in the distance.

Naisha, 7

Illustration of a lightning storm over three mountains, each of which have a concerned look on their face.

Olimani, 12

Illustration of lightning striking a house and trees. The house and trees are on fire. A tornado is approaching the house and trees. The tornado has consumed a cow and some trees.

Quinn, 10

Paper cutouts depicting lightning in the sky and a grassy scene on the ground.

Rupam, 11

Illustration of lightning in a dark sky with the silhouette of a cactus on the ground in the foreground.

Sharadha, 12

Illustration of three clouds in the sky with lightning striking from them to some power poles below. The lightning makes the shape of human bodies with the clouds as heads, so they appear to be dancing in the sky.

Sophia, 10

Illustration of the Earth with some lightning on its surface and a spacecraft observing from orbit.

Taifur, 5

Illustration of two spacecraft in orbit working together to predict lightning strikes on Earth.

Varun, 10

Photo of color blocks assembled to look like a cloud with lightning below it.

Zeke, 7

The Art Challenge:

In this activity, we'd like to challenge young explorers to think about and draw something. And after the Art Challenge is over, we'll select a few imaginative drawings to be featured on the NOAA SciJinks and NASA Space Place websites!

So, get ready to exercise that creative brain of yours! Here's what you'll need:

Paper
Art supplies (pencils, markers, crayons, paints – whatever you like to use)
A grownup helper with a camera or scanner and access to email

Art Challenge prompt:

Note: The following Art Challenge has concluded. Check back for future Art Challenges or visit the NASA Space Place Art Challenge.

Have you ever watched a lightning storm from your window at home? Did you know that scientists can use weather satellites to watch lightning from above, too?

In June 2024, the United States will be launching its latest weather satellite called GOES-U (GOES is short for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite). GOES-U will be the fourth and final satellite in the GOES-R group of satellites that keep an eye on Earth’s weather from space.

The information that GOES-U and its sister satellites collect is used in many ways! GOES-U will help meteorologists forecast the path of hurricanes, how strong severe thunderstorms can become, and when tornadoes will form. GOES-U will also help scientists “see” lightning and predict where it will strike.

Want to learn more about the GOES satellites? Meet a GOES-R Series weather satellite here!

Draw how you imagine lightning to look, either within the clouds or striking the ground, from above the sky or from your window. Use any materials you would like – crayons, markers, pencils, pens, aluminum foil, paint, yarn, or anything else you find. The sky's the limit!

Submit your artwork between 5/1/24 and 5/31/24. Selected art submissions will appear on the website in early June!

Watch this video to learn about what causes lightning! Click here to download this video (1920x1080, 102 MB, video/mp4).

Want to launch your learning and zap your knowledge of lightning? GOES to this article and check out the video and poster to learn more about lightning!

How to submit your art:

Once you've gotten your ideas on the page, have a grownup take a photo or scan of the drawing and email the following to NASAKidsArt@jpl.nasa.gov:

Picture of drawing
First name of artist
Age of artist
Completed release form (download here)*

That's it! Have fun creating and we can't wait to see your drawings!