IYA2009 Updates

27 February 2009

Dear Friends,

Here are some short updates from the last week.

100 Hours of Astronomy updates
100HA Junior: http://groups.google.com/group/unawe-100h
New resources: http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/all-content
Online event registration: http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/eventsmain
Logos in 23 languages: http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/multimedia/images/detail/100hastronomy/

GLOBE at Night Ready for IYA2009
The fourth edition of the international star-counting program GLOBE at Night is poised for wider participation than ever from March 16-28, as a key activity in the Dark Skies Awareness Cornerstone effort of IYA2009. More information: http://www.globe.gov/GaN/

The world-renowned Deutsches Museum is planning a series of events to celebrate IYA2009
These include exhibitions and programmes. For more information, visit: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/158/

IYA2009 forges links with the European Year of Creativity and Innovation
The European Commission has decided to mark 2009 as the European Year of Creativity and Innovation. The aims of the year are to raise awareness of the importance of creativity and innovation; to disseminate good practices; to stimulate education and research. Click for more: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/161/

AthenaWeb, IYA2009 Media Partner, have turned their eyes to the stars and the skies in celebration of IYA2009
See what they're up to here: http://www.athenaweb.org/backoffice/newsletter/preview.php?id=12

IYA2009 Videos on YouTube
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 embraces new technology, and its ability to empower people from all around the world. Couple this with IYA2009 being a global endeavour, and it is no surprise that IYA2009 related videos have been cropping up on the popular website YouTube: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/162/

Texas Legislature Celebrates International Year of Astronomy 2009
The 81st Legislature of the State of Texas will honour the state's two flagship universities with a joint resolution, recognizing their cutting-edge research and outreach efforts in astronomy in celebration of 2009 as the official International Year of Astronomy. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/159/

JENAM2009 IYA2009 Symposium
Last year the JENAM2008 meeting in Vienna, Austria, was an excellent occasion to exchange ideas about the IYA2009 and what was to come. This year, we will have another opportunity to get together and to present our IYA2009 activities, events and projects and exchange experiences and thoughts. We are organising a symposium during JENAM2009/European Week of Astronomy & Space Science focused on two key aspects of IYA2009: outreach in terms of communicating astronomy with the public; the educational value of astronomy in attracting young people into science and technology studies at school and beyond. The latter is deliberately meant to be wide-ranging, from the very young, (covered by UNAWE), through secondary schooling and career choices.A huge number of events are planned across Europe, so contributors are invited to share these exciting ideas. Because much of the year will remain after the meeting, this is an excellent opportunity to learn from each other and gather new ideas for events in the latter part of 2009.
IYA2009 Symposium webpage: http://www.jenam2009.eu/default.asp?contentid=1380
For more information and to register, please visit the symposium webpage: http://www.jenam2009.eu/

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

Cheers,

Pedro, Mariana and Lee
IYA2009 Secretariat