Make it Happen

Are you fascinated by the Universe? Would you like to contribute to the International Year of Astronomy? One of the goals of IYA2009 is to enable as many people as possible to experience the excitement of personal discovery that Galileo felt when he first saw lunar craters and mountains, the moons of Jupiter and other celestial wonders. The aim is to encourage us all to think about how observations of the cosmos around us force us to reconsider our understanding of the natural world.

If you are a newcomer or an astronomy enthusiast...
If you are a beginner and would like to get some advice, contact your IYA2009 National Nodes, a local astronomy club, planetarium or science museum. A list of the IYA2009 National Nodes can be found here. A list of other astronomy organisations worldwide can be found on: http://skytonight.com/community/organizations or http://www.astronomyclubs.com.

If you are an amateur astronomer...
For every professional astronomer, there are at least 20 amateurs. The IAU is encouraging amateur astronomers to play a major role in the organisation of astronomy outreach activities. As an amateur astronomer, you can join a local astronomy club and plan some cool astronomy outreach activities. Lots of ideas can be taken from the IYA2009 activities pages - do not be afraid of adapting them to your own country's history and culture. Get in touch with science teachers in local schools and propose some practical activities for students involving observation of the sky. The 100 Hours of Astronomy Cornerstone project is a global event that all amateur astronomers should take part in.

If you are a professional astronomer...
You can do all the above and contact your IYA2009 National Node or national astronomical societies for advice and new ideas on what can be done to promote astronomy in your region. You can coordinate activities with amateur astronomers, help to publish results and contribute to science.

If you are an educator...
You can find inspiration for activities, receive training through the Galileo Teacher Training Program, and get assistance with relevant and exciting lesson plans that will take your students to another Universe.

If you have a new idea...
If you have a new idea and it is not listed in the national, regional and global activities pages, contact the Single Point of Contact in your own country and propose your ideas.

If you want to be a partner in IYA2009...
There are unrivalled opportunities to partner the main IYA2009 events. Partners will receive enormous global exposure through the events themselves and through internet and media coverage. We envisage different levels of support. Each level can provide direct and significant support to IYA2009 financially, or can contribute through in-kind contributions. In return, the IYA2009 Partners will enjoy benefits assigned by the IAU IYA2009 in proportion to their specific contributions.

There are many countries and groups deeply involved in IYA2009 projects and thousands of activities are already underway. Please take some time to search the IYA2009 webpage. Feel free to contact us if you are interested in a specific activity. If you would like to know more about IYA2009 activities taking place in your country, please contact your national Single Point of Contact.