Beyond IYA2009 Updates

22 October 2010

International Astronomy Education and Public Outreach Events List
During IYA2009 several global events took place. It was very helpful to EPO events promoters to know in advance what they would be and the dates in order to prepare their local community and media. This was part of the success of events like 100 hours of Astronomy. In order to keep this wave going we are preparing a International Astronomy Education and Public Outreach Events calendar. The main purpose is to help people willing to organise their local events to know what is taking place out there, who to contact for more information, and either take part or suggest something else.
Please add any international events to the international astronomy education and public outreach events in this form:https://spreadsheets5.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dEIyME14djRrdHJRd05oUlFpMGpTc0E6MQ#gid=0
See the current list here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=0AnvnC7wpNxoVdEIyME14djRrdHJRd05oUlFpMGpTc0E&hl=en&single=true&gid=0&output=html

Latest Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal Highlights Cultural Astronomy
This special issue of Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal (CAPjournal) looks at IYA2009 events that focused on cultural astronomy and discusses how including a historical or cultural aspect can help communicators to engage with a wider audience. Read more: http://www.capjournal.org/issues/09/index.php

Mission X launches on the Internet
‘Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut’, an educational project by ESA and its international partners, will leave the launch pad in January. More information: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMNZKYOBFG_index_0.html

2011 Brings another 365 Days of Astronomy
The award-winning 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is proud to announce the project will continue for yet another year – its third year — and is now accepting sign-ups for participants for another 365 podcasts in 2011. 2011 encompasses the Year of the Solar System, which marks an unprecedented flurry of robotic exploration of space, and is the perfect opportunity for more of the public to become involved in creating podcasts to share astronomy with the world. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1074/

Sagan Day Essay Contest
In honor of Carl Sagan's birthday on November 9th, we invite you to pause and reflect on the imagery that he created for us in his allegory of the Shore of the Cosmic Ocean. We invite you to communicate your thoughts and ideas, your reflections on the past and your visions for the future. We want the written expressions of what you see as you stand on that shore. How did you arrive there with your individual perspective? Where will we go from here? What drives us toward those distant shores? What embodies the spirit of exploration? All ideas inspired by The Shore of the Cosmic Ocean are acceptable. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1075/