Weekly update, 4th September

4 September 2009

Dear friends,

Here are some IYA2009 updates from the last week.

The UNESCO Courier
 400 years ago Galileo took the dark stains on the surface of the Moon to be seas. He was wrong. Today, we are sending missions to the Moon in search of water. These technological advances have been extraordinary. Yet, the Universe remains largely unknown. Read a special article here: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=46124&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

The Great Look Up
2009 is the International Year of Astronomy and as part of a summer that has already celebrated the 40th anniversary of man setting foot on the Moon, the University of Surrey and Guildford Astronomical Society teamed to present an opportunity for people of all ages to join in a huge stargazing event. Read more: http://www.surrey.ac.uk/greatlookup/

American community applauded for IYA2009 activities
Local communities are at the core of IYA2009, so news of their success stories is always welcome. The village of Barrington Hills, Illinois, USA, has embraced astronomy this year, and has been actively participating in a great many activities. A local cable TV news programme has interviewed city manager Robert Kosin about how IYA2009 is beneficial for residents, and plans for the upcoming Galilean Nights Cornerstone project which is set for 22 - 24 October. See the interview in its entirety here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G9slqxVO9A

Jet Propulsion Laboratory produces videos for IYA2009
A series of astronomy videos produced by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are helping to bring astronomy to the public. Available to view and download in a variety of resolutions and sizes, they are useful resources for IYA2009 supporters wanting to use high-quality multimedia materials as part of outreach events. See an IYA2009-specific video here: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/index.cfm?id=804

Protection of the Night Sky conference will tackle light pollution during IYA2009
The 9th European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky will be taking place from 17 - 19 September 2009 in Armagh, Ireland. The Symposium will deal with the issue of light pollution, its effects on the environment, health, and astronomy, and examine how bad lighting is contributing to global climate change. The Symposium's official website is: http://www.lightpollution2009.eu/

International astronomy workshop set to take place in São Tomé e Príncipe
From 8 - 10 September, the Seventh International Workshop on "New Worlds in Astroparticle Physics" will be attracting scientists from around the world. Sessions include high energy gamma rays, neutrino physics, and experimental cosmology. Also taking place is a special school for students and teachers from Portuguese-speaking countries. Held at the Polytechnic University in São Tomé, it promises to captivate with topics such as matter and light, quantum mechanics, and riddles in science.
The official website is: http://centra.ist.utl.pt/~centra/astro2009/index.html
The astroschool's website is: http://centra.ist.utl.pt/~centra/astroschool2009/
See the conference poster here: http://centra.ist.utl.pt/~centra/astro2009/files/poster-astro2009.pdf

Music and astronomy bring IYA2009 to thousands of people
Music and Astronomy Under the Stars is a NASA-funded astronomy outreach project taking place in public parks during IYA2009 and beyond. Telescopes, posters, and videos are used to bring astronomy to the masses. On 28 July, 16,000 people saw the exhibitions when they attended the Tanglewood Music Festival (USA), and 60,000 people are expected to visit during the New York Philharmonic Concert in the Park next year. For more information and images, please visit: http://www.hofstra.edu/academics/Colleges/HCLAS/PHYSIC/physic_underthestars.html

 

If you need any assistance, remember that the Secretariat is always available for you.

Pedro, Mariana and Lee
IYA2009 Secretariat

 


Organisational Associates:
ESO AAS INSU CAS STRW NOVA STFC SCNAT SPA NRC MEC CNES DLR ESA JAXA NAOJ APL PS ESF ISRO ICRAN NLSI NOT U Cluster NASAEAS ASI NRAO CEA  KASI EAE SPA AUI CROSCI



The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is endorsed by the United Nations and the International Council of Science.