IYA2009 Updates
XV International Astronomy Olympiad
13 October 2010
XV International Astronomy Olympiad
Sudak (Crimea, Ukraine), October 16-24, 2010
The International Astronomy Olympiad is a scientific-educating event for students of the junior high school classes - 14-18 years old, which includes an intellectual competition between these students. The style of the problems is aimed at developing the imagination, creativity and independent thinking.
More information: http://www.issp.ac.ru/iao/2010/
Open Educational Resouces
13 October 2010
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that are freely available online for everyone to use, whether you are an instructor, student or self-learner. Examples of OER include: full courses, course modules, syllabi, lectures, homework assignments, quizzes, lab and classroom activities, pedagogical materials, games, simulations, and many more resources contained in digital media collections from around the world.
More information: https://openeducationalresources.pbworks.com/What-are-Open-Educational-Resources
Beyond IYA2009 Updates
13 October 2010
2010 ESA/GTTP workshop for science teachers
ESA along with the Galileo Teacher Training Programme are organising a workshop for science teachers at the NEMO Science Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from 7–10 December 2010. More information: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Education/SEMGMNMO7EG_0.html
From Earth to the Solar System: Seeking Images
From Earth to the Solar System (FETTSS) will be an online collection of images that can be freely downloaded and exhibited by organizations worldwide in whatever manner they choose. For more information and guidelines on how to submit an image, please go to the FETTSS website: http://fettss.arc.nasa.gov/
Astro Book Drive: Update October 2010
Read more: http://astrodrive.lakdiva.net/news/update_Oct2010.html
TWAN Top Viewed Photos: July-September 2010
See the most visited photos on TWAN website during Summer 2010:
http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news.asp?newsID=6059
Media in Education Newsletter is available here:
http://www.media-in-education.net/october-2010
IYA2009 Call for Additional Reports
A few weeks ago we released the 1400-page final report for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. This report is a compilation of the achievements of the 216 IYA2009 stakeholders — 148 countries, 40 international organisations and 28 global projects. It shows the excitement, engagement and community involvement engendered by IYA2009. The report is intended to stand as a record of the legacy of this astonishing international celebration of astronomy. Although comprehensive, the report cannot acknowledge every single event, project or activity during IYA2009. To mitigate this, the IYA2009 secretariat calls on individuals, organisations, universities, amateur associations, etc. to submit any additional IYA2009 relevant reports, brochures and books to be archived on the main IYA2009 website for posterity: http://www.astronomy2009.org/reports/
Such reports can be submitted until end of November 2010 in any language and in rich text, word or PDF format to iya2009@eso.org with the country name in the subject line.
Last days: The Mysteries of the Cosmos Are Revealed During World Space Week 2010
This October 4 - 10, organizations across the globe celebrate United Nations-declared World Space Week, the largest annual public space event on Earth. The purpose of World Space Week is to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to life on Earth. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1058/
Beyond IYA2009 Updates
1 October 2010
IYA2009 Call for Additional Reports
A few weeks ago we released the 1400-page final report for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. This report is a compilation of the achievements of the 216 IYA2009 stakeholders — 148 countries, 40 international organisations and 28 global projects. It shows the excitement, engagement and community involvement engendered by IYA2009. The report is intended to stand as a record of the legacy of this astonishing international celebration of astronomy. Although comprehensive, the report cannot acknowledge every single event, project or activity during IYA2009. To mitigate this, the IYA2009 secretariat calls on individuals, organisations, universities, amateur associations, etc. to submit any additional IYA2009 relevant reports, brochures and books to be archived on the main IYA2009 website for posterity: http://www.astronomy2009.org/reports/
Such reports can be submitted until end of November 2010 in any language and in rich text, word or PDF format to iya2009@eso.org with the country name in the subject line.
The Mysteries of the Cosmos Are Revealed During World Space Week 2010
This October 4 - 10, organizations across the globe celebrate United Nations-declared World Space Week, the largest annual public space event on Earth. The purpose of World Space Week is to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to life on Earth. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1058/
Einstein@home: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1056/
Your Universe @ UCL, London, UK: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1055/
Dark Matter Awareness Week: 1 - 8 December 2010: Dark Matter Awareness Week is envisaged as a worldwide forum for fostering discussion of one of the most pressing problems and elusive aspects of astrophysics, high-energy physics, cosmology and relativity. More information:http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1054/
The Mysteries of the Cosmos Are Revealed During World Space Week 2010
1 October 2010
This October 4 - 10, organizations across the globe celebrate United Nations-declared World Space Week, the largest annual public space event on Earth. The purpose of World Space Week is to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to life on Earth.
Among the highlights of World Space Week 2010 are:
- Google Lunar X Prize Summit on the Isle of Man, UK
- Festival of Astronomy in Marrakech, Morocco
- Public lectures about space engineering and astronomy in Helsinki, Finland
- Inauguration of a mobile planetarium and telescope in Thrissur, India
- Star camp for high school students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Solar and radio observations in Mexico
- Rocktober skies, a regional rocket launch in Alabama, USA
In 2009, World Space Week celebrated its 10th anniversary with 713 events in some 55 nations, including a Star Party held at the White House by President Obama. This year, World Space Week challenges participants to discover the “Mysteries of the Cosmos.” Throughout history, humans have looked to the heavens and contemplated the universe, wondering about our place within it. This year World Space Week events will probe what we know, what it means, and what we have yet to learn about the mysteries of the cosmos.
“World Space Week is the time each year when the public can learn about the many benefits of space exploration, and students are inspired through space to excel in school,” said Dennis Stone, President of the World Space Week Association. “World Space Week is open to everyone,” he said.
The calendar of activities is available at www.worldspaceweek.org.
“By synchronizing space outreach activities across the globe, World Space Week offers people and groups the opportunity to celebrate space accomplishments, demonstrate support for space programs, and promote their views about our future in space. It also inspires future engineers, scientists, and leaders,” declared Talia Page, the Association’s Executive Director.
“World Space Week is a celebration across society. From schools to the arts to the space industry itself, we invite all organizations around the world to highlight the remarkable impacts that space has on the lives and culture of humankind,” Page said.
World Space Week Association sponsors include SpaceX, Turksat, UN Office of Outer Space Affairs, Secure World foundation, EADS Astrium, ATK, SAIC, Heinlein Prize Trust, Playtone, Lockheed Martin, and Arab Youth Venture Foundation/UN Association of UAE.
About World Space Week Association
World Space Week Association is a non-government, nonprofit, international organization founded in 1981 and the proud partner of the United Nations in the global coordination of World Space Week – the largest public space event on Earth. Since 2000, World Space Week has taken place every year on 4-10 October. It celebrates at the international level “the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition" (United Nations General Assembly). In 2009, World Space Week celebrated its 10th anniversary, with 713 events in some 55 nations. Currently, the volunteer-led Association works with more than 60 national coordinators. For more details, see www.worldspaceweek.org.
Further details
For media inquiries:
Oana Sandu, Media Relations Manager
E-mail: osandu@worldspaceweek.org
Mobile: +49 176 943 942 20
For other questions:
Talia Page, Executive Director
E-mail: tpage@worldspaceweek.org
Mobile: +1 646.657.7829
For updates, follow #WSW2010 on Twitter.
IYA2009 Call for Additional Reports
29 September 2010
A few weeks ago we released the 1400-page final report for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. This report is a compilation of the achievements of the 216 IYA2009 stakeholders — 148 countries, 40 international organisations and 28 global projects. It shows the excitement, engagement and community involvement engendered by IYA2009. The report is intended to stand as a record of the legacy of this astonishing international celebration of astronomy. Although comprehensive, the report cannot acknowledge every single event, project or activity during IYA2009. To mitigate this, the IYA2009 secretariat calls on individuals, organisations, universities, amateur associations, etc. to submit any additional IYA2009 relevant reports, brochures and books to be archived on the main IYA2009 website for posterity: http://www.astronomy2009.org/reports/
Such reports can be submitted until end of November 2010 in any language and in rich text, word or PDF format to iya2009@eso.org with the country name in the subject line.
einstein@home
29 September 2010
Now 11 years old and running stronger than ever, SETI@home has opened the way for about 50 similar distributed-computing projects — in molecular biology, climate modelling, quantum chemistry, chess problems, and other number-crunching endeavours. Most of these run through BOINC, the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing.
Several of these projects involve astronomy. One called Einstein@Home started by examining data from the LIGO gravitational-wave observatory, looking for certain subtle signatures of spacetime ripples that might have escaped initial notice. Last year Einstein@Home expanded to took through radio data from an ongoing pulsar hunt at the Arecibo dish in Puerto Rico.
On June 11th Einstein@home made its first discovery: a pulsar drifting through space all by itself about 17,000 light-years away in Vulpecula. The discovery took place on a computer running in the basement of Chris and Helen Colvin of Ames, Iowa. Three days later it was confirmed on a computer owned by Daniel Gebhardt in Mainz, Germany. It then brought itself to human attention.
More information: http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/
Your Universe @ UCL, London, UK
28 September 2010
www.ucl.ac.uk/youruniverse
Your Universe will be for:
1.- Pre-booked school groups on fri 15th oct. Primaries from 10:30 to 13:00 and secondaries and colleges from 14:00 to 20:00
2.- Family audiences and general public (sat 16 and sun 17 from 11:00 to 20:00)
Here is a sample of activities taking place in the ample north cloisters:
Stars R us. An interactive exhibit about the nature and the lives of stars.
Play God, build the Universe from the Big Bang to our days along a time line.
The magic planet. An amazing spherical projection that simulates planetary surfaces and atmospheres.
Guided visits to the Department of Physics and Astronomy, an opportunity to have informal contact with our post graduate students in action.
Use of telescopes to look at the sun and venus during the day and the moon and the planet jupiter after sunset (weather permitting).
Remote operation of robotic telescopes abroad, impact craters and many more.
Groups will be divided in subgroups of 10 or 15 and each will have a trained guide for a tour of the practical demonstrations and visits to the department.
Plus a lecture on Astrobiology by Dr Lewis Dartnell on friday 15th at 15:00 and a lecture on the Lunar landings and the Apollo project at 19:00
See details on www.ucl.ac.uk/youruniverse
Dark Matter Awareness Week: 1 - 8 December 2010
27 September 2010
Dark Matter Awareness Week is envisaged as a worldwide forum for fostering discussion of one of the most pressing problems and elusive aspects of astrophysics, high-energy physics, cosmology and relativity. More information: http://www.sissa.it/ap/dmg/index.html
Beyond IYA2009 Updates
24 September 2010
2010 ESA/GTTP workshop for science teachers
ESA along with the Galileo Teacher Training Programme are organising a workshop for science teachers at the NEMO Science Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from 7–10 December 2010. More information: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1045/
Best practice guidelines for outreach activities targeted at schools and teachers
The Europlanet Outreach Team and Steering Committee have teamed up with the Galileo Teacher Training Programme (GTTP) to produce this set of best practice guidelines for outreach activities targeted at schools and teachers. Please feel free to share it with others that may have an interest in developing their communication skills: http://www.europlanet-eu.org/outreach/images/stories/best_practice_guide_schools.pdf
GHOU/ GTTP Updates:http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1048/
A new TWAN publication is released: Zauber der Sterne (Magic of Stars)
This is an official TWAN book published in Germany, a collection of over 200 starry photos from around the world and articles about the project and sky photography, authored by TWAN members Stefan Seip, Gernot Meiser, and Babak Tafreshi. The first editions are in German... and Dutch but will be translated to more languages in future.
More information: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3440124258
The World at Night Newsletter: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/1049/
New Media in a digital world: Tool or Threat for Learning?
The Media & Learning Conference taking place in Brussels on 25 and 26 November 2010 addresses how new media can contribute to improve learning. More information: http://www.media-and-learning.eu/programme
MEARIM-2: the 2nd Middle-East and Africa Regional
The last decade has seen revolutionary advances in astronomical capabilities within the Middle-East and Africa. In particular, the completion of HESS and SALT, together with the construction of KAT-7 and the bid to host the SKA, has transformed the region, bringing world-class capability in ultra-high energy gamma-rays, optical/near-IR and radio wavelengths to southern Africa. The timing is thus ideal for MEARIM-2, to build on these developments and to exploit them for the benefit of the entire region. The latter requires huge effort on the education and outreach front, which will be a significant topic at the meeting. Details can be found at the conference web site: http://mearim2.saao.ac.za
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