Part 2: Celebrate Your Universe! International Year of Astronomy '09
Parties and Events Throughout 2009
Return to Part 1.
Join in the celebration of 400 years of modern astronomy and a new understanding of our place in the Universe. With hopes of reaching 97 percent of the world's population, the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA) will hold parties, events, and activities for people all over the world all year long. The ultimate goal is to increase awareness about astronomy and convey the excitement of the Universe to all people on Earth.
IYA events in the United States will begin with an opening ceremony to be broadcast live on the World Wide Web. The festivities will take place at the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Long Beach, California on January 6, 2009 at 7:45pm PST. For more information click here.
International IYA events will begin with a kickoff celebration at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Headquarters in Paris, France on January 15-16, 2009. Among the hundreds expected to attend are Nobel Prize winners, scientists, government ministers, and members of royal families. For more information, click here.
Worldwide goals of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 are:
- To increase scientific awareness among the general public, especially young people.
- To make observing experiences and new knowledge more accessible.
- To empower astronomical groups in developing countries.
- To encourage underrepresented minorities to get more involved in science and engineering careers.
- To create new networks, and improve existing ones, among people interested in astronomy.
- To increase support for both formal and informal science education.
- To show scientists as modern people and show the gender balance of scientists.
- To preserve and protect the world's natural and cultural heritage of dark skies and historical astronomical sites.
To accomplish these goals, the IYA has created 11 cornerstone projects, which are enriched by a number of special projects, all supporting the main goals and objectives of IYA 2009. The cornerstone projects include:
100 Hours of Astronomy:
A hundred hour live event to get as many people as possible observing the sky through a telescope. It will take place from April 2-5, 2009 (when the Moon is at first quarter and visibility is ideal) via live webcasts from research observatories, public observing parties, "sidewalk" telescope events, and other IYA events around the world. The project is coordinated by the European Southern Observa?tory (ESO) and managed by the charitable group Astronomers Without Borders (AWB).
The Galileoscope:
Looking through a telescope into the night sky for the first time is a mind-opening experience. The Galileoscope is a simple telescope that is easy to assemble and use, and can be distributed by millions worldwide. The Galaileoscope project hopes to make this experience a reality for as many people as possible.
Cosmic Diary:
Professional astronomers from 5 continents (and many languages) will blog with images and text about what it's like to live as an astronomer. In addition to sharing their latest research, these astro-bloggers will add a personal touch and chat about their families, friends, hobbies and interests.
Portal to the Universe (PTTU):
PTTU aims to make astronomical news, tools, and contacts available via the Portal to the Universe website, a one-stop gateway for information about all things astronomical.
She is an Astronomer:
This program promotes gender equality in science, by encouraging young women to consider a career in astronomy. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the issues of women in science will be able to visit the online database and take part in online discussions of issues such as how women astronomers deal with observing times and family duties.
Dark Skies Awareness
Through star counts and other events, the Dark Skies Awareness project will raise awareness about the urgent need to preserve and protect dark night skies for future generations to enjoy. Artificial lighting threatens to adversely affect dark skies in urban areas, national parks, and places where astronomical observations are made. This project will also work to preserve historical astronomical sites for future generations to enjoy.
Astronomy and World Heritage
This program will showcase the connection between astronomical science and culture that exists all over the world. The goal of this project is to locate important astronomical sites, preserve their memory, and work to save these structures from deterioration.
Galileo Teacher Training Program:
With the goal of improving science teaching, the Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) will collect new media astronomy-education materials from around the Internet and train teachers to use these resources. Through a planet-wide network of "Galileo Ambassadors," GTTP will use workshops, online trainings and basic education kits to prepare teachers to become "Galileo Master Teachers."
Universe Awareness
A child's natural fascination with the sky is the starting point for the Universe Awareness [UNAWE] project. UNAWE will use the, "beauty and scale of the Universe to inspire very young children in underprivileged environments." The goal of Universal Awareness is to illustrate how modern astronomy is based on many cultures, and bring an international awareness of "our place in the Universe and our place on Earth." The project also aims to awaken children's curiosity in science while encouraging global citizenship and tolerance.
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From Earth to the Universe
By showcasing beautiful astronomical images in public places that don't usually put astronomical or scientific images on display, the From Earth to the Universe project aims to make scientific imagery as accessible to the public as works of art. The carefully chosen images will soon appear in public parks and gardens, art museums, as well as shopping malls and metro stations. People who might typically pay no attention to scientific imagery will be able to share in the beauty of science via this NASA-funded project.
Developing Astronomy Globally
This program facilitates access for people in developing countries to the 11 International Year of Astronomy Cornerstone projects. Through training, development and networking, astronomy professionals as well as educators and the public will work to create and strengthen networks in developing areas of the world.
There are also many special projects such as The World at Night, which will create and showcase a collection of photographs and time-lapse videos of the world's most beautiful and historic sites against a night-time backdrop of stars, planets and celestial events.
In addition, "The Sky, Yours to Discover" invites young people to gaze up at the sky and identify stars, imagine new constellations, and create their own stories.
Finally, IYA celebrates such innovative films as 400 Years of the Telescope, Around the World, Around the Sky, The Galilean Satellites, and Exoplanet Hunters. These and others can be found here.
The Unites States IYA node:
http://astronomy2009.us/home/
NASA's IYA 2009 Web Site
http://astronomy2009.nasa.gov
NASA Solar System Exploration IYA Materials
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/educ/IYA.cfm
NASA IYA partners:
Science Features
Best of NASA Science
Astrobiology Features
NASA Science Highlights
Astronomy Features
Power & Propulsion Features
Technology Features
Science & Technology Reports
