IYA2009 Updates
Galileo lecture available to watch online
9 November 2009
Professor William Shea, Galileo's Chair from the University of Padua, recently gave a talk called "The New World of Galileo" to mark IYA2009. The presentation can be seen online.
View it here: http://www2.geolsoc.org.uk/presentations/bh091026
New initiative seeks to send astronomy books to developing nations
9 November 2009
There are many astronomical societies in developing countries run by amateur astronomers. They organise many events throughout the year, and participation is immense. However the lack of resources is not conducive to long-term programmes.
To overcome this difficulty, "Astro Book Drive" works on getting spare books from wealthy countries across to developing nations. There are plenty of books and reading materials on shelves going unread in many libraries, departments, association or perhaps owned by individuals who are looking to give their books a new home. These excess materials are cherished as treasurers by astronomical groups in developing countries.
If you are related to an organisation, university or foundation of any sort, you can get involved by running a book drive to collect materials from your colleagues to send across to an astronomy group in a developing country. Perhaps you know of someone or you might have a collection of books you would like to donate as well. Currently books are being sought for children, middle and high school level, college text books, and advanced books.
The Astro Book Drive is endorsed by "Astronomers Without Borders". Please join them in spreading the word!
For more information, visit the following websites:
http://astrodrive.lakdiva.net/involve
http://astrodrive.lakdiva.net/Call_for_book_drive.pdf
http://astrodrive.lakdiva.net/affiliates/
Interferometry super-session to be held for IYA2009
9 November 2009
The International VLBI Service for geodesy and astrometry (IVS) is organising an ambitious event in the framework of IYA2009. The IVS runs a worldwide network of radio telescopes dedicated to monitoring the Earth's rotation and establishing celestial and terrestrial reference frames. The VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) technique connects all antennas together, creating the equivalent of an Earth-size radio telescope which allows one to map the targets (extragalactic radio sources) with milliarcsecond angular resolution and measure their astrometric positions to about 0.1 milliarcsecond or even better.
On 18-19 November 2009, the IVS will run a 24-hour "super-session" as an IYA2009 event. This will be unique in several respects:
1) it will be the largest VLBI session ever run (> 30 VLBI radio telescopes will participate);
2) it will observe all the 295 sources comprised in the second realisation of the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF2), the new celestial reference frame recently adopted by the IAU (Rio de Janeiro 2009), thereby serving as a kickoff session for the monitoring of this new frame. It is also "a first" in this respect, since observing that many sources at once (in a single VLBI session) has never happened before;
3) this super-session will be accompanied by open door/outreach at the sites of the radio telescopes that participate in the session.
For more information, please visit: http://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
IYA2009 News Round-up
7 November 2009
Boing Boing is promoting the first ever Carl Sagan day tomorrow (7 November). Those in the Florida area will be able to enjoy planetarium shows, stargazing, a "Cosmos" marathon, and even appearances from the "Bad Astronomer" Phil Plait and James "The Amazing" Randi. The article has ideas for how you can mark the day if you're not in that area, along with linking to a video of Carl Sagan's last interview.
The UW-Whitewater physics department is celebrating IYA2009 with a lecture series and exhibits, or so Royal Purple would have us believe. They're wheeling out a From Earth To The Universe exhibit as well. They're always crowd-pleasers. What does Physics Department Chair Steven Sahyun have to say? "Astronomy is neat." Right on, Steve.
Examiner.com again? They can always be relied upon to bulk out the news round-ups. This story is about how Pope Benedict XVI received participants in a conference sponsored by the Specola Vaticana (Vatican Observatory) for IYA2009. Looks like it was part of the Catholic Church's move to make peace with the past and Galileo's legacy. Noble aim. Metro Catholic has run the same story, so you can read it there as well if you fancy.
Congratulations, Greenwich! The Royal Observatory has picked up Gold in a prestigious tourism category for its IYA2009 programmes. This paragraph is short, reflecting the article's length.
The Reporter has a longer article, along with a rather nice (albeit stock, most likely) photo. Even better, the reporter has a great name: Brian Bingaman. Universities and colleges in the North Penn, PA area are running free observing projects, as part of the No Night Without a Telescope initiative. They're also teaching people how to use telescopes that they may already own, but are unsure how to operate. "Point up" would be my advice.
Trak has some news from India. Professor Yash Pal has won the annual Kalinga Prize for the popularisation of science. He's known for presenting Indian science TV shows, and he also helped establish the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune.
IYA2009 Updates
6 November 2009
IYA2009 astronomical exhibit in Monaco
An astronomical exhibit took place last September in Monaco, where amazing images from the astrophotographer Serge Brunier were displayed on the atrium of the renowned Casino de Monte-Carlo. This initiative, in the framework of IYA2009, had the patronage of the HRH Prince Albert II de Monaco. A print of the magnificent image of the Milky Way, signed by the HRH Prince Albert II de Monaco and the NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin, was auctioned in Monaco in order to gather money to help children in Kenya, suffering from extreme poverty and abandonment caused by the severe drought. This event was organised by the Lions Club International of Monaco. Monaco became the 148th IYA2009 National Node this week. More information on the website: http://www.lions-monaco.com/
Jupiter: Project24
Four hundred years ago Galileo Galilei turned his telescope on the planet Jupiter, and his discoveries changed forever the way humanity thinks about the Universe. In 2009 we are commemorating this 400th anniversary in the International Year of Astronomy, the IYA. To celebrate Galileo's discoveries, on 22 November we will undertake the Jupiter: Project24, 24 hours of continuous radio observation of the planet Jupiter using the radio telescopes of NASA's Deep Space Network, the DSN. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/583/
Special issue of UNESCO World Heritage Magazine
The latest issue of UNESCO's World Heritage Review has been released, with astronomy and world heritage as its theme. This is a significant product of the Astronomy and World Heritage IYA2009 Cornerstone project. Currently only the English version is out; it will be joined by French and Spanish translations within two weeks and then will be available to purchase for five Euros. See the contents here: http://whc.unesco.org/en/review/54/
Nobel Laureate answers your questions
YouTube viewers worldwide have the opportunity to ask questions to a renowned and highly respected scientist. John Mather, an astrophysicist from NASA, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2006, which he received with George Smoot for their discoveries regarding the echoes of the Big Bang - providing extraordinary glimpses of the beginning of the Universe. Nobelprize.org, the official web site of the Nobel Foundation, is offering anyone the chance to pose their questions directly to a John Mather via the YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/thenobelprize
Twitter Lists help amateur astronomers follow their societies
A recently released Twitter feature called Lists lets users compile sets of related feeds, helping to organise information and updates. A list has been created for amateur astronomy societies, making it easier than ever to keep up-to-date with groups all over the world. See the list here: http://twitter.com/willgater/astronomy-societies and http://twitter.com/willgater/astronomy-societies/members
Science Film Festival features IYA2009 movies
The Science Film Festival is being held this year in Thailand, between 17 and 27 November. IYA2009 has been adopted as a major theme for the Festival, so astronomy history films are on the agenda. For information about the astronomy aspects, please visit: http://www.goethe.de/ins/th/prj/wif/art/enindex.htm
From Earth to the Universe Update
http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/582/
Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra performs "The Planets" by Gustav Holst in special IYA2009 concert
The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Roselín Pabón has performed the concert "The Planets". Each movement was accompanied by the presentation of images of the planets which the public could view on two screens set above the musicians. The selected images included samples from the "From Earth to the Universe" (FETTU) Cornerstone project. See http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/581/ for more.
Nepal's largest school science event ready for November 10 and 11
The Inter School Young Scientists' Fair is Nepal's largest event on school science activities. Held this year on 10 and 11 November at Nepal Academy, Kamaladi, Kathmandu, the Science Fair is an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about science as they search for answers to specific problems. It also helps to develop an understanding of the scientific method while having fun. Students are encouraged to come up with a project that would be interesting to them. This year has particular emphasis on astronomy, to mark IYA2009. For more information and entry forms, please visit http://www.youngscientistsnepal.org/
German TV channel 3Sat dedicated a week to astronomy
With programmes on astronomy topics from stars to telescopes, the week-long celebration was welcomed by viewers with burning questions about our cosmos. See the schedule here: http://www.3sat.de/dynamic/sitegen/bin/sitegen.php?tab=2&source=/specials/138661/index.html
Galilean Nights update
http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/578/
IYA2009 and dark skies raised in UK Parliament
The British Prime Minister has been quizzed by David Heathcoat-Amory, representative for Wells, over IYA2009 and the Campaign for Dark Skies. Heathcoat-Amory asked whether the Prime Minister agrees that lights in public places and 10 Downing Street (the Prime Minister's residence) should be turned off or dimmed. See the question and response here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO6hwPud5YY
Dark Skies Ranger Campaign
The Dark Sky Awareness (DSA) and the Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) decided to launch a joint effort: "Dark Skies Ranger Campaign", for the new school year joining both cornerstones' goals. Students will enhance their awareness of the growing light pollution problem, learn how to assess this problem and at the same time engage in the use of the science research method and techniques to evaluate it. Read more here: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/576/
Vatican City State celebrates IYA2009
The Governorate of the Vatican City State and the Vatican Observatory organised a celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 in Vatican City on 30 and 31 October. The two-day celebration included an address at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences by Prof. John Huchra of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and President of the American Astronomical Society with the title "From Galileo to Hubble: Astronomy in the 21st Century". More: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/575/
Twitter Lists help amateur astronomers follow their societies
6 November 2009
A recently released Twitter feature called Lists lets users compile sets of related feeds, helping to organise information and updates. A list has been created for amateur astronomy societies, making it easier than ever to keep up-to-date with groups all over the world.
See the list here: http://twitter.com/willgater/astronomy-societies and http://twitter.com/willgater/astronomy-societies/members
Science Film Festival features IYA2009 movies
6 November 2009
The Science Film Festival is being held this year in Thailand, between 17 and 27 November. IYA2009 has been adopted as a major theme for the Festival, so astronomy history films are on the agenda.
The Science Film Festival Thailand was initiated by the German Goethe-Institut in 2005. It focuses on European and Asian films which communicate technological and scientific issues accessibly and entertainingly to a broad audience.
For information about the astronomy aspects, please visit: http://www.goethe.de/ins/th/prj/wif/art/enindex.htm
IYA2009 Astronomical Exhibit in Monaco
5 November 2009
An astronomical exhibit took place last September in Monaco, where amazing images from the astrophotographer Serge Brunier were displayed on the atrium of the renown Casino de Monte-Carlo. This initiative, in the framework of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, had the patronage of the HRH Prince Albert II de Monaco. A print of the magnificent image of the Milky Way, signed by the HRH Prince Albert II de Monaco and the NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin, was auctioned in Monaco in order to gather money to help children in Kenya, suffering from extreme poverty and abandonment caused by the severe drought. This event was organised by the Lions Club International of Monaco.
Monaco has become the 148th IYA2009 National Node this week.
More information on the website: http://www.lions-monaco.com/
Jupiter: Project24
5 November 2009
Four hundred years ago Galileo Galilei turned his telescope on the planet Jupiter, and his discoveries changed forever the way humanity thinks about the Universe.
In 2009 we are commemorating this 400th anniversary in the International Year of Astronomy, the IYA. To celebrate Galileo's discoveries, on the 22nd of November we will undertake the Jupiter: Project24 , 24 hours of continuous radio observation of the planet Jupiter using the radio telescopes of NASA's Deep Space Network, the DSN.
This is a worldwide antenna network which supports the exploration of the solar system. It consists of three deep-space communications facilities, one at Goldstone in California's Mojave Desert, one near Madrid in Spain, and one near Canberra, Australia. This strategic placement permits constant observation of spacecraft as the Earth rotates and makes the DSN the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications system in the world. A fraction of the network time is also made available for radio astronomy projects under an agreement between NASA and Host Countries.
The radio emission from Jupiter comes from both the thermal emission from the planet plus the non-thermal emission of high-energy electrons trapped in Jupiter's magnetosphere. Due to a misalignment of Jupiter's magnetic and rotation axes, the non-thermal intensity varies as the planet's magnetosphere rotates, and is most apparent at frequencies between 1 and 5 GHz. The rotation period is close to 9 hours 55 minutes, so we will see almost two and a half rotations.
This is the first time that such a long continuous series of radio observations has been undertaken. The goal of the 24 Jupiter project is to search for possible non-thermal variability from other causes, such as variations in solar activity, and possible changes from a remnant of the big impact spotted by an amateur astronomer near Canberra in July 2009.
More information: http://jupiterproject24.wordpress.com
From Earth to the Universe Update
5 November 2009
To date, the response to the From Earth to the Universe project has been outstanding. As of October 2009, there have been or are planned over 250 separate FETTU exhibitions in more than 65 countries (on every continent except Antarctica). Millions of people have been exposed to the wonders of astronomy.
The wide range of FETTU exhibits has reflected the diversity of the communities and countries in which it has landed. From public parks to airports to art festivals to shopping malls to even prisons, FETTU has found its way into incredibly exciting places (please see http://www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org/table_events.php for a full list and beautiful photos at http://www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org/event_photos.php).
Suffice it to say, FETTU would not have happened if it were not for those included in this email and hundreds of others -- from the local organizers, to the funding organizations, and everyone in between -- who employed creativity and passion for bringing the wonders of the cosmos to everyday people.
Based on the preliminary evaluations currently underway, this project -- the first of its kind as a large-scale, worldwide astronomy outreach in non-traditional locations -- has been a success. We will soon be presenting some of the early findings about the impact of the exhibit as well as the on-going efforts for 2010 and beyond.
More information: http://www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org/
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Cornerstone Projects: 12
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Official Products:8
Media Partners:22
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