Welcome to IYA2009

3 January 2009

 

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 has officially begun! It literally started with a bang for residents of the Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro, as a grand fireworks display was held in honour of the year, with explosions in the shapes of stars, comets, and even planets! But astronomy-themed events haven't been limited to any one location. IYA2009 is a global endeavour, and activities already occurring reflect that.

The Dawn of IYA2009 ensured that the general public were in no doubt as to the theme of the year. Countless astronomers around the world took to the streets, allowing people to safely observe the Sun, and also learn about IYA2009. The Cornerstone Project Cosmic Diary also launched on New Year's Day. Over 50 professional astronomers, including those from well-known institutions such as NASA, ESO, ESA and JAXA have begun blogging, letting the public see what life as a scientist is really like. And the eagerly anticipated 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast project has begun in earnest, with the first show already on the site.

The wider media has been quick to pick up on IYA2009, with articles appearing in all kinds of publications and blogs. For example, the very popular site Astronomy Picture of the Day adopted the IYA2009 logo as its emblem for 1 January, and the latest issue of Nature journal is dedicated to IYA2009.

This is just a small selection of events held on the very first day of IYA2009. As an indication of things to come, the remaining days will be a great success!

 

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.