IYA2009 Updates

IYA2009 Update

17 April 2009

 

Seventh annual Dark-Sky Week celebration
The International Dark-Sky Week will occur from April 20 to April 26, 2009. This year the IYA2009 Dark Skies Awareness Global Cornerstone Project is endorsing the event on a global level as the International Dark Skies Week (IDSW), part of IYA2009's dark skies preservation efforts. If you would like to participate in the International Dark-Sky Week, then visit: http://www.darkskiesawareness.org/idsw.php

IYA2009 welcomes new Nodes
A big "hello!" to the Fiji Islands, Grenada and Zambia. To see the full list of National Nodes, visit: http://www.astronomy2009.org/organisation/nodes/national/list/

Entries welcome to the MEDEA awards 2009
The call for entries to the MEDEA Awards 2009 has been officially announced. The aim of this competition is to encourage innovation and good practice in the use of media and video in education. Visit this website for more information: http://www.medea-awards.com/

IYA2009 Opening Ceremony - Southern Stars
The IYA2009 Opening Ceremony has been featured in Southern Stars, the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand. Read the report here: http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/documents/detail/IYA2009_oc_southernstars/

BLAST! discovers hidden universe!
The BLAST experiment was featured last week on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer. And on BBC News. In fact the BLAST scientists have been doing press in print, radio and TV from Vancouver to Toronto to Philadelphia to London. That's because the first science results are published in this week's Nature Magazine and are causing a sensation. In essence BLAST has revealed a "hidden Universe." Fifteen years ago, scientists observed that half the starlight in the Universe is in the invisible infra-red spectrum, but its source was unknown. Until now. BLAST has discovered that this light originates from previously hidden, dust-enshrouded galaxies. To learn more about BLAST!, check out the official site: http://www.blastthemovie.com/

TWAN update
The World At Night project has been busy building bridges through the sky. To find out the latest developments, click: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/239/

 

News round-up, 17 April 2009

17 April 2009

The weekly IYA2009 news round-up has arrived, bringing you the latest media coverage of everyone's favourite astronomically-themed year. Let's gallivant around some choice morsels!

We'll open with a corker, courtesy of Physics Today. Written by Toni Feder, the feature talks about IYA2009 in general before delving into specific projects such as She is an Astronomer, 100 Hours of Astronomy, and the Cosmic Diary. Then Second Life crops up (as it often does), in particular the virtual Astronomy 2009 island, modelled on a spiral galaxy. Check the article to see a Second Life avatar sporting an IYA2009 t-shirt. To finish off, there's a diagram teaching you how to say "quasar" in sign language. You learn something new every day!

Attention, residents of New York. Buffalo Rising says that the Buffalo Museum of Science is running an impressive programme of events for IYA2009. These include telescope training, constellation spotting, and even a tutorial about the conversion of light energy into heat and mechanical energies. Buffalo Museum of Science, you efforts are dazzling.

Explorer bagged an interview with IYA2009 and Galileoscope guru Doug Isbell. He talks about the Year from a U.S. perspective, and mentions various outreach efforts such as the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast, Today in Astronomy blog, and Astronomy Discovery Guides.

As the global recession bites ever-harder, free events are appreciated by more people than ever before. At least, that's the premise of a Fosters.com article suggesting low-cost activities, especially to entertain children. Astronomy features high on the list, and they recommend visiting observatories, attending star parties, and generally looking in an upward direction during the night.

Great Falls Tribune reports that the Central Montana Astronomy Society, U.S. Forest Service, and educators from Great Falls Public Schools are ready to hold a Spring Star Party Extravaganza. There will be observing if the weather is clear, but also contingency activities in the event of rain, which include decorating Hubble Space Telescope-shaped cookies. Best. Idea. Ever. Unfortunately when I read the article the advert on the left of the page was for shotguns, which made the article seem vaguely ominous.

News snippets time! Astro Nuts has found out about Canadian IYA2009-themed stamps, and has put a photo up to prove it. New Stamps has done the same for the Ukraine. Ada Evening News is advertising a free public astronomy lecture at East Central University, Oklahoma. The Malta Independent Online is also plugging astronomy talks, but this batch will be held at the University of Malta, and presented by United States Senator Harrison Schmitt. Again, free and open to the public.

Lee Pullen

IYA2009 Staff Write

MEDEA Awards 2009

15 April 2009

Entries Welcome to the MEDEA Awards 2009

The call for entries to the MEDEA Awards 2009 was officially announced today. The aim of this competition is to encourage innovation and good practice in the use of media and video in education. The MEDEA Awards recognise and promote excellence in the production and pedagogical design of media-rich learning resources at all levels of education, and highlight good practice in the use of media and video in the classroom. Last year the awards received over 100 high-quality submissions from 25 different countries, of which 6 winners were selected who all received prizes of hard and software generously supplied by Apple Europe and Adobe. The Organising Committee is proud to announce that this year the annual MEDEA Awards have expanded with two new awards, the MEDEA Award for Creativity and Innovation and the European Collaboration Award. The MEDEA Award for Creativity and Innovation is set up to coincide with the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009 and will specifically award creative and innovative use of media by educators and learners. The European Collaboration Award in educational media production and use will recognise excellent productions and projects that come about as a result of European cross-border collaboration.

Details for Participants

Everyone who produces video, audio and/or multimedia based learning and teaching materials is invited to submit an entry to the MEDEA Awards. The main criteria for entry is that the multimedia project, production or service submitted must make use of images and/or sound to support teaching and learning. Entries by teachers and learners are particularly welcome. Participants can track the progress of their entries on the new web site recently launched by the MEDEA Secretariat which will be available in German and French shortly. This call for entries closes on Wednesday 30th September 2009, 12 PM, by which all the required materials have to be sent to the MEDEA Secretariat.

Contact MEDEA

To find out more about the awards or to subscribe to our newsletter, visit the web site:

http://www.medea-awards.com For information regarding participation, becoming a judge, partnering, sponsoring or collaborating with the MEDEA Organising Committee, please contact Nikki Cortoos of the MEDEA Secretariat: Nikki Cortoos, MEDEA Secretariat

E-mail: secretariat@medea-awards.com 

Address: Nikki Cortoos, MEDEA Secretariat, ATiT, Leuvensesteenweg 132, B-3370 Roosbeek, Belgium

Tel: +32 16 284 040, Fax: +32 16 223 743

 

IYA2009 Opening Ceremony - Southern Stars

15 April 2009

The IYA2009 Opening Ceremony has been featured in Southern Stars, the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand. Read the report here: http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/documents/detail/IYA2009_oc_southernstars/

Seventh Annual Dark-Sky Week Celebration

15 April 2009

International Dark-Sky Week will occur from April 20 to April 26, 2009.  This event began as National Dark-Sky Week in the United States in 2003, endorsed by the International Dark-Sky Association, the American Astronomical Society, and the Astronomical League. This year, the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) "Dark Skies Awareness" Global Cornerstone Project is also endorsing the event on a global level as the International Dark Skies Week (IDSW), part of IYA's dark skies preservation efforts. The first night of IDSW will coincide with the Starlight Initiative's "World Night in Defense of Starlight."

The goal of International Dark-Sky Week ultimately is to encourage better lighting. Turning out the lights for one week will only temporarily reduce light pollution and raise awareness about the problem, but lighting fixtures that focus the light downward instead of up into the sky will have the lasting effects that this campaign seeks to achieve. Light pollution is a growing problem since more and more lights are being used to illuminate cities that continue to expand. Not only does light pollution have detrimental effects on the night sky, but it also disrupts the natural environment, wastes energy, and has the potential to cause health problems. In order to reverse these effects, International Dark-Sky Week encourages the awareness of light pollution and promotes lighting fixtures that minimize it.

"The only way that International Dark-Sky Week can succeed is if more people participate every year," says Jennifer Barlow, founder of the event, "no reduction in light pollution can be made unless a significant number of people turn off their lights." Another way to participate in addition to turning out the lights is to attend a star party or visit a local observatory. Nevertheless, be sure to not turn out lights that are necessary for public safety and when going stargazing, carry a red-tinted flashlight and stay in a large group.

Jennifer Barlow comments, "International Dark-Sky Week is a great opportunity to dust off the old telescope from the attic and share in the wonder of the universe that has been part of the human tradition for thousands of years."

Robert Gent, past President of the Astronomical League, a federation of 275 astronomical societies with nearly 17,000 members says, "This is a great way to raise awareness about the problems and solutions of light pollution.  If we use the right amount of light only when and where it's needed, we see better, save energy, and preserve the beauty of our night skies." 

 

 

 

BLAST! Discovers Hidden Universe!

15 April 2009

Lot's of excitement here in our corner of the science world...

BLAST!  is screening in Philadelphia April 15th.

Great timing because the BLAST experiment was featured last week on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  And on BBC News.  In fact the BLAST scientists have been doing press in print, radio and TV from Vancouver to Toronto to Philadelphia to London. 

That's because the first science results are published in this week's Nature Magazine and are causing a sensation.

In essence BLAST has revealed a "hidden Universe."  Fifteen years ago, scientists observed that half the starlight in the Universe is in the invisible infra-red spectrum, but its source was unknown.  Until now.  BLAST has discovered that this light originates from previously hidden, dust-enshrouded galaxies. These early galaxies are known as "starburst galaxies" and form stars at rates hundreds of times faster than today's galaxies.

We have anticipated the attention and are organizing a New York theatrical run of BLAST!  in June.  Much more on that soon...

By the way, BLAST! won a Best Documentary award at Vedere la Scienza Festival in Milan, Italy.

To host a screening of BLAST!, and for information on special screening discounts for International Year of Astronomy 2009 events, contact us at:
info@blastthemovie.com   +1-866-610-1520    

TWAN Update

14 April 2009

 - Chile Welcomes The World at Night: see the opening of TWAN-IYA2009 traveling exhibition in Chile.    - TWAN in Stuttgart Planetarium: see the photo report of TWAN traveling exhibition in Germany arrives in Stuttgart.   - TWAN in Berlin: see the photo report of The World at Night exhibition and presentation in the palace of post and telecommunication museum in Berlin.   - There are new items on TWAN shop: Large framed print of selected TWAN artwork photographs in normal and panoramic format, general purpose greeting cards and mouse pad with a TWAN photo.    - There are new stunning photos and time-lapse videos on TWAN website, featuring starry nights of the planet's landmarks from Australia, Asia and Middle East, to Africa, Europe and Americas:

Americas

USA

 

 

Canada

 


Chile

 

 

Europe

Hungary

 

 

 

Sweden

 

 

Spain

 

 

 

France

 

 

 

  Asia and Middle East

Japan

 

 

 

Iran

 

 

Turkey

 

Armenia

 

Australia and Pacific

Australia

 

Africa

Canary Islands (Spain)

 

 

Guest Gallery is a a well-received section on TWAN website to feature selected outstanding Earth and sky photos by non-TWAN creative photographers from around the globe. If you have such remarkable photos to share with TWAN Guest Gallery, please contact us.There are new featured photos on the Guest Gallery:
- VLTI in the Morning (Chile) by Yuri Beletsky
- STS-119 and ISS over Pisa (Italy) by Marco Meniero
- Ancient Temple and Young Moon (Greece) by Chris Kotsiopoulos
- Venus and Light Pillar (Germany) by Stephan Heinsius
- Venus over Wiesbaden (Germany) by Stephan Heinsius

 

- TWAN is featuring six special galleries:

Latest Images

Dark Skies Importance

Cosmic Motions

World Heritage Sites

TWAN APODs

TWAN Podcast

 

TWAN is a global program of Astronomers Without Borders (www.astrowb.org) and a Special Project of International Year of Astronomy 2009, an initiative by IAU and UNESCO. The World at Night is to produce and present a collection of stunning photographs of the world's most beautiful and historic sites against the nighttime backdrop of stars, planets and celestial events. The eternally peaceful sky looks the same above all symbols of different nations and regions, attesting to the truly unified nature of Earth as a planet rather than an amalgam of human-designated territories.

 

Building bridges through the sky

The World at Night

www.twanight.org

 

IYA2009 Update

12 April 2009

100 Hours of Astronomy

The 100HA project was a great success! Read more about it on the official website (http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/), and see the "Around the World in 80 Telescopes" webcast archive here: http://www.ustream.tv/astro-100hours/videos

Hawaiian Starlight DVD
The summit of Mauna Kea offers some of the best views of the cosmos and this film conveys the experience observing the Universe from the top of a mountain. Read more here: http://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/HawaiianStarlight/trailer.html

FirstScope Telescope: New IYA2009 Official Product at special price for IYA2009 Nodes
IYA2009 and the IYA2009 Global Sponsor, Celestron are happy to present its new official product, FirstScope Telescope. The FirstScope is a wonderful keepsake for anyone interested in astronomy. This quality Dobsonian style telescope features a 76 mm aperture reflector optical tube. For more: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/236/

A Journey to the Stars in Taiwan
"A Journey to the Stars" was an outdoor multi-media stage performance, held in the Great Square of Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial in Taipei in the evening of March 21st around Spring Equinox, for the celebration of IYA2009 in Taiwan. More information and links can be found here: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/235/

Easter eggs hunt with Star Walk: ipod touch and gift cards give-away for all IYA2009 enthusiasts
For all those who want to prolong the experience of the great 100 Hours of Astronomy event and add more hours of stargazing under their belt, Star Walk is just what you need. As official product of IYA2009, Star Walk is now offering Easter surprises to all IYA2009 followers. Would you like to know more? http://blog.iwindowsmobile.com/?p=61

Physics Today - The Universe, yours to discover
"Star parties. Telescope-building workshops. Public lectures. Exhibitions. Dramatic reenactments. Those are among the seemingly astronomical number of activities under way this year to mark the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first pointing a telescope to the sky." Find out about the article here: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/232/

StarPeace newsletter
For the latest information about StarPeace, follow the link: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/231/

The World At Night Exhibits
New in Berlin, Germany and Antofagasta, Chile. http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/230/

100 Hours of Astronomy-themed Astronomy Pictures of the Day
2 April: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090402.html
3 April: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090403.html
4 April: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090404.html
5 April: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090405.html

‘Be an INTEGRAL Astronomer' - an ESA competition for the IYA2009
To mark the International Year of Astronomy 2009, ESA is launching a special competition for students in secondary school and University undergraduates. Students will use data taken by the INTEGRAL space observatory to investigate objects in one of the most active regions of our Galaxy and be in with a chance to win a number of great prizes, including a trip to the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) near Madrid, Spain. More information: http://astronomy2009.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=44563   

 

IYA2009 news round-up!

10 April 2009

The 100 Hours of Astronomy project is over. Phew! But it will have a lasting effect far into the future. Videos from the "Around the World in 80 Telescopes" are currently online for all to see. There were three Cosmic Diary LiveBlogs run during the event, which are still available to read. The 100HA Blog is also a great place to get more information, and for lots of photos, click here and here.

Parkes Champion Post has reported on 100HA from an Australian perspective, Tuscalooso News for the USA, The Hindu for India, and many others are on the web too. Sites such as WBBM News Radio 780, SpaceRef.com, and SpaceDaily are also headlining 100HA. And congratulations to the Galaxy Zoo Project, which had an incredible 2.6 million classifications.

But it wasn't just 100HA that was in the news. Radio Netherlands Worldwide has featured an article written by IYA2009-mainstay Kevin Govendar. He talks about the relevance of astronomy to developing countries, and describes the success story of SALT, the South African Large Telescope.

Over to Pakistan, where Science and Religion has a nicely-written account of IYA2009 events in that part of the world. Plenty of hyperlinks have been dotted around and there is also a generous portion of photos, which always helps.

The Pink Elephant describes an aim of IYA2009 as offering as many people as possible a "Galileo moment".  These engaging astronomy experiences have the ability to change lives, and the theme is developed in the article, with focus on events for Canadians.

Plus Maths Magazine is running an online poll where the public can vote for a question to be answered by top astronomers. So if you'd like to know what the future of the Universe is, what black holes are, or if the constants of nature are really constant, go there and vote! Or use Google.

And finally, EC Plaza News has been highlighting IYA2009 activities in Korea, including the Kumdori Science Festival 2009, From Earth To The Universe exhibitions, and the 60th International Astronautical Congress. In December there are even plans to plant a time capsule containing present information about astronomy, to be unearthed in 2019. Maybe these weekly round-ups should be included?

 

Lee Pullen
IYA2009 Staff Writer

 

FirstScope Telescope: New IYA2009 Official Product at special price for IYA2009 Nodes

9 April 2009

FirstScope Telescope: New IYA2009 Official Product at special price for IYA2009 Nodes

IYA2009 and the IYA2009 Global Sponsor, Celestron are happy to present its new official product, FirstScope Telescope. The FirstScope is a wonderful keepsake for anyone interested in astronomy. This quality Dobsonian style telescope features a 76 mm aperture reflector optical tube.

FirstScope is an ideal entry level astronomical telescope. It is very easy to observe with, the user simply navigates the night sky by moving the tube in the direction of their desired object, making the viewing experience a snap! The compact design makes it easy enough to take with you on your next outdoor adventure.

FirstScope will be available at a special price of 24.50 USD plus shipping costs per telescope for the IYA2009 network. IYA2009 Single Points of Contacts who wish to take this excellent opportunity should collect orders and place a single order to Celestron.  Please note that individual orders will not be accepted. The deadline for placing orders is 30 June.

Celestron FirstScope - Order Form

  • Name:
  • Country:
  • Organisation:
  • Shipping Address:
  • E-mail:
  • Telephone:
  • Number of FirstScopes:

Please send the order form as soon as possible (before 30 June 2009) to: mmeskill@celestron.com

 

For more information please contact:

Michelle Meskill
Celestron
Marketing Manager
Tel.: +1-310-328-9560 ext. 205
E-mail: mmeskill@celestron.com
or visit: http://www.celestron.com/

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The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is endorsed by the United Nations and the International Council of Science.