IYA2009 Update

19 February 2010

Novi Sad's astronomy events attract large crowds
The organisation Caspar of Novi Sad, Serbia, has celebrated IYA2009 in style with a series of popular events. Their programme was aimed primarily at children but was versatile enough to interest adults as well. To act as a legacy, a website has been launched summarising the events through photographs and accompanying text.
Learn more here: http://www.casparcenter.org/astronomija/index-eng.htm

Website SpaceAgenda now online
New website SpaceAgenda is designed to allow you to reach space events gathered from all around the world. Conferences, workshops, congress, symposiums, training courses, seminars, meetings and outreach events are just one click away. You may search events according to date, country, type of event or simply by typing your interest keywords. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/803/

The European Southern Observatory is looking for enthusiasts to help translating its astronomy videos
Would you like to see the European Southern Observatory’s astronomy outreach videos, such as the popular ESOcast video podcast series, subtitled in your own language? ESO is now uploading videos to dotSUB, a website which enables members of the public to contribute translated subtitles of videos in any language. You can help bring exciting news from the world of ESO astronomy to an even wider international audience. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/802/

Norwegian astrophoto competition winners announced
IYA2009 celebrations in Norway included an astrophoto competition which attracted entries of professional calibre. The jury noted that the photographers had used a variety of techniques. Several images were striking works of art, while other were more traditional. Now the winning ten have been announced, and can be seen online. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/801/

Happy birthday, Galileo!
Galileo Galilei was born on 15 February 1564. 2009 was the 400th anniversary of his worldview-changing telescopic observations and discoveries, and it is this fact which led it to be declared the International Year of Astronomy. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy", the "father of modern physics", and "the Father of Modern Science". Without his contribution to astronomy and science, the world in which we live today would seem very different.
All IYA2009 supporters are asked to join together in wishing this astounding figure a very happy birthday!

19 February 1473: Copernicus Born
Read more: http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2010/02/0219copernicus-born/#ixzz0fz6u8K0f

Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2010 Programme announced
The "Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2010" (CAP2010) conference will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 15 to 19 March, 2010. Following the previous conferences in this series, it aims to address the modern challenges in astronomy communication through a global perspective. Major themes of CAP2010 will be the outcome and legacy of IYA2009 as well as techniques for how to make public astronomical knowledge global and accessible to everyone across national, language, political, social and cultural borders and to those with impairment limitations. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/799/

Bingo! Astronomy game cards available to download
Astronomy supporters in Costa Rica are distributing "Stellar Bingo" as an educational resource that will reach four countries (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic) printed on cereal boxes and posted on the web as digital images with free access. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/796/

Concert and film will give a new perspective on the heavens
The event "Globe of Science and Innovation at CERN" has been scheduled for April 2010. Combining music and video footage, it will tell the story of a philosopher being killed because of ideas derived from logic, and the dawn of modern science when new discoveries still seemed like magic. For more information, please visit: http://www.makrokosmos.eu/

Echoes of Apollo: a worldwide Moon Bounce event
A worldwide Moon Bounce event, Echoes of Apollo (EOA), is set up for 16, 17 and 18 April 2010. This exciting expedition to the Arecibo Radio Telescope will also feature large Earth-Moon-Earth dishes, including those at MIT, Dwingeloo Holland, Chur Switzerland, possibly Goldstone/Apple Valley, Morehead State, and PARI, (Pisgah Astronomic Research Institute), in N. Carolina, along with many other amateur stations around the world. Science outreach is a key objective of EOA, and there will be opportunities for schools to be involved. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/797/

2010 Tanglewood Parade to feature astronomy events
As part of the Tanglewood on Parade activities on 3 August 2010, special guest Dr. Donald Lubowich, from Hofstra University’s Astronomy Outreach Program, will offer stargazing for adults and children with telescope observations of the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, star clusters, and nebulae. There will also be exhibits on the science of music, the sounds of the Sun, and the musical compositions of Galileo’s father. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/793/

Innovative theatre linked to telescopes projects astronomical images
Swift progress is being made with the new "Joshua Tree Astronomy Theater" in Joshua Tree, California. Telescopes will be connected with video cameras which send images to high projection equipment to provide near-live images of deep sky objects onto six projection screens that will measure 9 feet tall by 12 feet wide. This method will show the night sky to large crowds and bring images to people in a way that has never before been possible. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/791/