IYA2009 News round-up

10 October 2009

President Obama's starparty made headlines, so let's link to some of those stories. The Washington Post gives a good overview, including a video of the President's speech. USA Today also has lots of details, as does The Boston Globe and Examiner.com. Looks like it was a good event!

Physorg.com are spreading the word about the GalileoMobile IYA2009 Special project. Touring around South America, the aim is to bring astronomy education to isolated communities, via the gift of hands-on activities. You can follow this venture via their blog, available on the Cosmic Diary website.

Penticton Western News has a good story, about how the Okanagan Astronomical Society want to help visitors to Munson Mountain better appreciate the sunset by placing markets at specific points, showing where the Sun will meet the horizon at different times during the year. They also say that the markers will be erected to commemorate IYA2009. The last paragraph is the best: "City staff had voiced concerns surrounding the safety and liability of having markers located on top of a mountain but the astronomical society representatives said they would work to minimize the concerns."

Videos make for a nice change of pace from words, so it's with relief that an Arizona Illustrated feature about the Galileoscope made it online. The video in question shows a Galileoscope being made, as well as hearing about the project from those working on it, and a real-life user! They're all awfully impressed with it.

Check out this daily Bangla newspaper article, called the Daily Prothom Alo. Even if you can't read the text, you can marvel at the page - click on the articles to make them bigger. It's like a form of tech-magic. The piece to be most interested in is actually about Galilean Nights, the imminent astro-fest. If you haven't organised an event for this, go and do so NOW. Well, after you finish reading the round-up.

Canada's Napanee Guide are kindly publicising an event happening over Galilean Nights. Held at the Lennox & Addington County Museum and Archives, visitors will get the chance to see astronomical sights through a telescope, as well as asking experts questions about all things spacey. The accompanying photo looks like the guy is balancing a telescope on his head. Also in Canada, The Camrose Canadian has highlights of the night sky during October, and mentions IYA2009 in both the opening and closing paragraphs. Thanks, guys.

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