IYA2009 Updates

We Are Astronomers Competition

20 May 2009

To celebrate the launch of the amazing new full-dome digital planetarium show, "We Are Astronomers", you have the chance to win four free tickets to see the show at the nearest planetarium to you (to see where the show is playing, visit our "We Are Astronomers" page) along with an exclusive poster signed by the show's narrator, David Tennant. (Please note that this competition is only open to residents in the UK).

So what do you have to do to win this excellent prize? It's quite simple; write us a twitter astronomy haiku!

If you're not familiar with Twitter, you'll have to create a twitter account for yourself at http://twitter.com (it's free).

Once you have done that, follow us @astronomy2009uk and @astronomy2009, which will keep you up-to-date will everything that's happening in the UK during IYA2009.

Then you have to get creative and write your astronomy haiku! A haiku is a short poem of three lines, which follows a specific structure, so that the first line has five syllables, the second line has seven, and the third line has five. The lines needn't necessarily rhyme (in fact they rarely do). An example haiku (taken from the Bad Astronomy and Universe Today forum) is:

Is that all you see?
In a tiny speck of dust
A whole Universe!

[Arneb, 2006]

Once you've written your haiku, send it via twitter, with @astronomy2009uk at the start of your tweet, and with a " / " separating each of the three lines of your haiku. i.e.:

"@astronomy2009uk: Is that all you see? / In a tiny speck of dust / A whole Universe!"

As you can see, haiku are well suited to Twitter, which restricts you to 140 characters per tweet.

The entries will be judged by the UK IYA2009 steering group, and the best three will be tweeted on the @astronomy2009uk and @astronomy2009 feeds. The winning entry will be sent the signed poster along with tickets to their nearest planetarium.

The winner will be announced on 01 June 2009, so get your thinking caps on!

Galileoscope update

19 May 2009

The current production run of Galileoscopes consists of 60,000 units, which will satisfy orders placed and paid for through the first week of May. They will start leaving the factory on Monday, May 18th, and will begin reaching customers in mid-June. Of these 60,000, about half are going to customers who bought small numbers of Galileoscopes via our website at www.galileoscope.org, and about half are going to others who placed large orders (100 or more kits) via our request-for-quotation system. Most of these orders are from schools and other educational organizations, with very few orders from SPoCs.

SPoCs and other IYA2009 event organizers who haven't yet ordered Galileoscopes must place orders NOW and pay invoices promptly. If we don't place another manufacturing order by the end of May -- something we cannot do without first receiving a large number of new orders from customers -- our production line will be shut down, and we won't be able to deliver Galileoscopes for several months. Because we don't have any source of capital other than prepaid orders from customers, we cannot manufacture Galileoscopes in advance in the hope of receiving orders later -- we can produce them only to fill orders already received and paid for. Thus it is imperative that anyone who needs Galileoscopes for events during the 2nd half of 2009 place their orders NOW to avoid a lengthy delay in receiving them. Furthermore, since the manufacturing cost depends strongly on the number of Galileoscopes ordered and the ability of our factory to keep the production line running smoothly, we will need to institute a price increase of US $5 per unit if a second production run is not started within the next two weeks.

Simply put: if you want Galileoscopes at the current price, and if you want them in 2009, you need to order NOW! Thus, it is imperative that all SPoCs make contact with potential buyers of Galileoscopes within their respective jurisdictions and have orders committed as soon as possible.

Behind the scenes of "Around the World in 80 Telescopes"

18 May 2009

Is it possible to visit all major observatories in the world, covering every continent, in the space of just 24 hours? ESO made a trip "Around the World in 80 Telescopes" during a live 24-hour webcast. Let's go behind the scenes to find out how it was done: Behind the scenes of "Around the World in 80 Telescopes"

IYA2009 Update

15 May 2009

There are many incredible events occurring during the International Year of Astronomy 2009, but this week in particular has seen a flurry of high-profile astronomy stories! These include the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, Kepler beginning its search for Earth-like extrasolar planets, and the launch of missions Herschel and Planck. For more information, visit: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/280/. Particularly noteworthy is the Ariane 5 rocket which lifted Herschel and Planck, as it proudly displayed the IYA2009 logo. For details, see http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/278/

ESA announces workshop for science teachers
The European Space Agency invites teachers of science at secondary school to register to attend a Galileo Teacher Training Program Workshop to be held at the NEMO Science Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from 29 June to 1 July 2009. A limited number of places are available for this hands-on workshop. Registration closes on 25 May 2009. All relevant information can be found here: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/275/

IYA2009-themed phone cards available in Slovenia
Telekom Slovenije d.d. has released a series of six astronomical phone cards to celebrate IYA2009. Designed by Borut Beri?, they feature stunning images, including the famous Whirlpool Galaxy. A gallery of the cards is available here: http://www.telekom.si/en/private_users/telephony/telecards/gallery/

New website for a PBS Television Special offers educational resources on telescopes and astronomy
A new website, accompanying the IYA2009 Special Project and PBS television special "400 Years of the Telescope," offers background information, classroom and family activities, and practical tips for everyone who is teaching about the development of telescopes, the history of astronomy, or the exploration of the Universe. You are invited to discover its features at: http://www.pbs.org/soptv/400years/

The World At Night updates
TWAN in Turin: http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news.asp?newsID=6026
TWAN in Mississippi: http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news_photo.asp?newsID=6027

New planetarium show: We are Astronomers
We are Astronomers is an exciting new 360° Fulldome digital planetarium show launching 23 May 2009 simultaneously in seven planetariums across the UK. The show is being produced by NSC Creative with input from UK astronomers. It is funded by STFC, the Science and Technologies Facilities Council. It will be showing in the following planetariums: Armagh Planetarium (Northern Ireland), Centre For Life (Newcastle), INTECH Science Centre & Planetarium (Winchester), National Space Centre (Leicester), Our Dynamic Earth (Edinburgh), Royal Observatory Greenwich (London, and Spaceport (Liverpool). More information: http://weareastronomers.com/

News round-up

15 May 2009

It's Friday which means it's news round-up time! What a week it's been for astronomy, in large part because of the latest ESA/NASA Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and the the launch of ESA's missions Herschel and Planck. The Scotsman has some coverage, and handily mentions IYA2009, albeit as a footnote in the very final paragraph. For the latest news on the servicing mission, ESA/Hubble Outreach Coordinator Colleen "The Shark" Sharkey is keeping a liveblog which you are hereby ordered to read.

Let's go Beyond the Universe to an astrofest being organised by the Brigham Young University (U.S.) Hang on, didn't they do stuff last week? Obviously their news round-up mentions have spurred them on. The astrofest will be held in the Eyring Science Center and at the Wilkinson Student Center terrace. According to the article, it's to honour "the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first glance through the telescope". I'd argue that it was a bit more than a glance.

Where would we be without telescopes? Probably not enjoying The International Year of Astronomy 2009, that's for sure. So it's good that New Scientist has a flick-through feature about the most important telescopes in history. The last one is an owl, but I think that's actually an advert or something. In its favour, it is a very good owl.

To Ottowa now, where OttowaFocus.com is kindly informing us of a show and star party at the Cube Gallery. They're combining fine art, refreshments, music and telescopes into an event which includes paintings and sculptures. Alongside these will be lectures and star parties during the run of the show.

Staying in Canada, and Science North in partnership with Laurentian University and the Sudbury Astronomy Club, will be holding a series of free star parties and public presentations at Science North over the next 12 months. Northern Life has an article about this, and Science North's website is worth a look-see if you're planning a visit.

Keen amateur astronomers may have been following the GLOBE At Night project, which encourages members of the public to help combat light pollution by keeping track of how dark their local skies actually are. Sky and Telescope has an excellent feature on 2009's efforts. This year was the most successful ever, no doubt in part due to IYA2009's support by making Dark Skies Awareness one of the Cornerstone Projects. Not that we want to take all the credit, or anything.

That's it! If you've read this far, thanks.

Lee Pullen

IYA2009 Staff Writer

IYA2009-themed phone cards available in Slovenia

14 May 2009

Telekom Slovenije d.d. has released a series of six astronomical phone cards to celebrate IYA2009. Designed by Borut Beri?, they feature stunning images, including the famous Whirlpool Galaxy.

A gallery of the cards is available here:
http://www.telekom.si/en/private_users/telephony/telecards/gallery/

Slovenian astronomy enthusiasts should not be without them!

An amazing week for astronomy

14 May 2009

There are many incredible events occurring during the International Year of Astronomy 2009, but this week in particular has seen a flurry of high-profile astronomy stories!

First, the NASA / ESA Hubble Space Telescope is undergoing repairs and upgrades to equip it with the latest instruments. The Space Shuttle Atlantis launched on 11 May, and astronauts are now in the process of performing five spacewalks to the orbiting observatory. Colleen Sharkey, ESA / Hubble Outreach Coordinator and friend of IYA2009, is keeping a blog of events available to read here.

There's also good news from NASA's Kepler spacecraft, which began its search for Earth-like worlds on 13 May. Kepler will spend the next three-and-a-half years observing more than 100,000 stars to spot the slight dimming that occurs when a planet passes in front of a star. The first discoveries are likely to be large gas planets, but hopes are high that Kepler will locate worlds like our own Earth. Kepler's official website has more information.

14 May saw another lift-off: this time an Ariane 5 rocket proudly displaying the IYA2009 logo, carrying two European Space Agency missions called Herschel and Planck.. Herschel has a 3.5-meter diameter mirror, making it the largest telescope in space. It will observe far-infrared and sub-millimetre wavelengths, and aims to study the formation and evolution of stars and galaxies. Launched with Herschel was Planck, the first European space observatory whose main mission is studying the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, which is left-over from the Big Bang. Herschel's official website is available here, and Planck's is here.

IYA2009 wishes these missions and all those working on them the very best of luck!

New Web Site for a PBS Television Special Offers Educational Resources on Telescopes and Astronomy

14 May 2009

A new web site, accompanying the IYA2009 Special Project and PBS television special "400 Years of the Telescope," offers background information, classroom and family activities, and practical tips for everyone who is teaching about the development of telescopes, the history of astronomy, or the exploration of the universe. You are invited to discover its features at: http://www.pbs.org/soptv/400years/

Information on the site includes:

An Introduction to Telescopes
Getting Your Family Involved with Astronomy
The Expanding Universe Explained
The Astronomy of Many Cultures
How Astronomers Search for Intelligent Life in Space
Science Fiction With Good Astronomy
Telescopes of the World (a table and database)
Frequently Asked Questions about Galileo
Video Clips of Interviews with Noted Astronomers
An Activity for Observing the Cycles of Jupiter's Moons
A Glossary of Astronomical Terms
Teaching Ideas for 14 Key Topics Related to the Show
A "Toolkit" for Demonstrating Ideas in Optics
A Guide to the Changing Role of Women in Astronomy

and many other resources and tools.

Information on the site was put together by the educational staff of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (An IYA2009 Organisational Node and a 120-year old educational organization which has developed outreach materials on astronomy for a wide range or projects) and Interstellar Studios, the production company that made the TV special.

Both the TV show and the web site are among the key outreach projects of the International Year of Astronomy in 2009, celebrating the 400th anniversary of Galileo turning the telescope toward the heavens.

Two major European Space Agency astronomical missions set for launch

13 May 2009

The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch two major astronomical spacecraft, Herschel and Planck, at 15:12 CEST (13:12 UTC) on 14 May 2009 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Proudly displayed on the fairing of the Ariane 5 ECA launcher will be the logo and motto of the International Year of Astronomy 2009.

The International Year of Astronomy is bound for space

The launch of the IYA2009 logo and motto with Herschel and Planck is just one of the many activities in which ESA is participating in recognition of the International Year of Astronomy. ESA is contributing to IYA2009 in two ways: by direct involvement in a selected number of IYA2009 cornerstone activities, and with special activities designed to promote ESA's special place in modern astronomy. Activities include a workshop for the Galileo Teacher Training Programme that will take place in June and an exclusive competition for secondary students and University undergraduate to ‘Be an INTEGRAL Astronomer'. There is also the Groningen Discovery Truck - featuring Herschel, and ‘Looking back to the dawn of time' - an exhibition devoted to Planck.The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch two major astronomical spacecraft, Herschel and Planck, at 15:12 CEST (13:12 UTC) on 14 May 2009 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Proudly displayed on the fairing of the Ariane 5 ECA launcher will be the logo and motto of the International Year of Astronomy 2009.

The International Year of Astronomy is bound for space

The launch of Herschel and Planck marks a sizeable European contribution to the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009). In recognition of this, an IYA2009 banner that is 1.6 metres tall and 3.4 meters wide has been affixed to the central section of the fairing, just below the Herschel and Planck banner. The IYA2009 banner carries the logo of the International Year of Astronomy and the motto: "The Universe - Yours to Discover".

The launcher fairing protects the spacecraft during the early of stages of launch. Four minutes after launch, at a height of about 145 kilometres above the Earth, the fairing, carrying the International Year of Astronomy logo, is jettisoned. At about 25 minutes after launch the Herschel spacecraft will separate from the launcher. This is soon followed by the separation of the Planck spacecraft. Both will then be en route to their final orbits approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth at the second Lagrange point, L2.

This is the second occasion that the International Year of Astronomy logo has blasted into space. The first occasion was when Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata carried an official flight kit bearing the IYA2009 logo during his 15 March 2009 flight on the Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. The kit was later returned to Earth and will be on display in Japan in the autumn.

Follow the launch

The Herschel infrared space observatory and the Planck survey mission will be launched together by a single Ariane 5 ECA launcher. These are two of the most sophisticated astronomical spacecraft ever built. Both missions will significantly contribute to a better understanding of our Universe. You can find out what it takes to launch space missions like Herschel and Planck, more about the individual missions and follow the launch by visiting their dedicated websites using the links in the right-hand menu. The launch will be broadcast live on the ESA channel on mogulus and on the Arianespace web site.

ESA's contribution to the International Year of Astronomy 2009

To find out more about all ESA International Year of Astronomy activities visit the dedicated website astronomy2009.esa.int

Herschel - ESA's cutting edge infrared space observatory

Herschel is the largest ever infrared space observatory, the first of a new generation of space giants. Herschel will probe deeper into the infrared than ever before, opening up a completely unexplored infrared window onto the Universe; the far infrared and sub-millimetre portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Herschel will observe some of the coolest and most distant objects in the Universe in order to build a better understanding of stellar and galaxy formation and evolution.

Planck - ESA's survey mission looking back to the dawn of time

Planck is Europe's first mission to scan the entire sky and produce maps of the Cosmic Microwave Background, the remnant radiation that filled the Universe immediately after the Big Bang. The aim of Planck is to provide answers to some of the biggest questions in science today such as: How did the Universe begin? How did it evolve to the state that we can observe today and how will it continue to evolve in the future?

TWAN Update

11 May 2009

The World at Night in Turin

http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news.asp?newsID=6026

In March 2009, TWAN started in Italy with a major event at Mirafiori Motor Village in Turin.

Photo Report: TWAN in Mississippi

http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news_photo.asp?newsID=6027

The first TWAN exhibition in North America displayed during April 2009 in the University of Mississippi.

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