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Brief description:
The Cosmic Diary is not about the science of astronomy but rather what it is like to be an astronomer and a scientist. The Cosmic Diary aims to put a human face on astronomy. Professional astronomers will blog in text and images about their life, families, friends, hobbies and interests, as well as their work, their latest research findings and the challenges they face in their research. The bloggers represent a vibrant cross-section of working astronomers from around the world. They will write in many different languages and come from five different continents. Outside the observatories, laboratories and offices, they are musicians, parents, photographers, athletes, amateur astronomers. At work, they are managers, observers, graduate students, grant proposers, instrument builders and data analysts.
At some point during this project all the bloggers will be asked to explain one particular aspect of their work to the public. In a true exercise of science communication with the public, these scientists will be asked to translate the nuts and bolts of their scientific research into more popular language. This will be their challenge.
These "explanations" will be highlighted on the web at regular intervals and they will be used as the basis for a book and a documentary, which will be released during the IYA2009 as the legacy of this project.
Deliverables:
1. The Cosmic Diary Blog (Soon!)
www.cosmicdiary.org
The Cosmic Diary Blog will have 24 resident bloggers - 12 men and 12 women. We have now confirmed candidates from many countries, like Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Croatia, France, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, South Africa, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, USA and Vatican City.
There will be a forum system where members of the public can talk to the astronomers and the posts will be written in different languages
These astronomers will use this blog to share opinions and experiences and will be encouraged to explain their research and work during the interviews/posts.
2. The Cosmic Diary Book
The book will be a crucial part of the Cosmic Dairy project, for it will be its legacy, what will remain after 2009 and a testimony of the work that has been done. It will also be an excellent way of reaching out to more vast audiences.
Our idea from the beginning was to aim for a sort of "science meets travel" book. Taking advantage of having bloggers from such different ant interesting locations, and with such different backgrounds, we want to capture the individual, non professional characteristics of the participants: their hobbies, their personality, their favorite places within the region where they live and work, their cultural roots. Therefore, along with the science present in the book, the reader will also find more "ethnic" and "touristic" information. This will, we believe, attract a wider number of readers as well as interest more possible sponsors for the project.
Book structure:
The book will be divided into 24 chapters, each corresponding to one blogger.
Each chapter will have 6 pages and the content will be:
• Photos and text about the city or region where the blogger works;
• Photos and text about the scientific institution where the blogger works;
• Photos and text about the blogger;
• Feature article with scientific explanation written by the blogger.Thus, the book will have approximately 160 pages, in full colour.
3. The Cosmic Diary Documentary
Footage, interviews and images collected during the project.
Project to be implemented in partnership with a TV Producing Company Timeline  Task Group:
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(Portugal, Navegar Foundation)
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(Portugal, ESA/Hubble)
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(UK, Freelance Science Communicator) Jack Oughton, (UK, Freelance Science Communicator)
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(USA, Pacific Science Center)
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(Brazil, Universidade de S. Paulo / Universite de Bordeaux)
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(South Africa, South African Astronomical Observatory)
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(Indonesia, Rigel Kentaurus)
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(Belgium, ESO) Files  | Report #3 (27/02/2008) (.pdf format, 1000 KB) |
| | Report #2 (13/12/2007) (.pdf format, 535 KB) |
| | Report #1 (.pdf format, 568 KB) |
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