IYA2009 Updates
A Journey to the Stars in Taiwan
8 April 2009
"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.
This big event consisted of two parts, the first part was the orchestral suite "The Planets" by
Gustav Holst, performed by the National Taiwan University Orchestra, with the stage
projection of the video suite "The Planets" created by Dr. José Francisco Salgado of
Adler Planetarium. After the first part, there was a 10 minute on stage interview of Dr. Salgado
by the host Prof. Wei-Hsin Sun, about how this wonderful video suite was
created. The second part was a new creation of a multi-media drama "Four Hundred Years
of Heaven Gazing - The Life of Galileo", written by Prof. Wei-Hsin Sun and performed by
M.O.V.E. Theatre Group. The format of presentation in the play is very rich, including
drama, acapella, chorus, dancing, and fire special effects. The play covers the three
most important stages in the life of Galileo: the discovery of laws of kinematics,
including the famous Pisa Leaning Tower experiment, the usage of the newly-invented
telescope for astronomical observations and the subsequent discoveries, and the trial of
inquisition.
This outdoor event went very well with a participation of approximately 8,000 people
enjoying the performance in a beautiful weather.
More information:
- IYA2009 Taipei National Node: http://www.astronomy2009.tw/
- Adler Planetarium Video Suites: http://svl.adlerplanetarium.org/videosuites/
- Jose Fransico's Flickr Page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/josefranciscosalgado/sets/72157611312100860/
Easter Eggs Hunt with Star Walk: ipod touch and gift cards giving away for all IYA2009 enthusiasts
8 April 2009
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.
We have hidden 9 Easter Eggs in the skies of Star Walk and you have to find them. For the first 3 people who get in contact with us with all correct info we offer 3 ipod touch, if you can't find all but some our gift will be itunes store gift cards.
But first of all what is an Easter Eggs? In the 'geek' vocabulary is a virtual object that has been placed in the landscape of the application.
Read tips on where to find them and how to take part in the hunt here
100 Hours of Astronomy Update
8 April 2009
The 100 Hours of Astronomy celebration events between April 2 - 5, have come to an end and what an amazing success story it has been! We all managed to highlight the wonders of astronomy to millions of global citizens through the use of our telescopes, live webcams of major research observatories, science centres and our enduring passion for this great science. The 100HA team still has a great deal to do before we sign off on this celebration and head towards our next exciting astronomical venture.
100 Hours of Astronomy Online Event Report We encourage you all to file an event report on your 100HA event/s. This is an online report form and is easily completed. It can be saved as a PDF file and used for your personal records or most importantly as part of your application process to our 100HA awards and prizes. The use of the information we gather from your events will give us an idea of how many people the 100HA celebration reached and how successful it was. To complete an event report, your event must be registered on our website. If you have not had the time to do so, please register over the next two weeks. Once registered, your event report can be completed and submitted. To register an event please click here http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/component/eventlist/editevent To see a full set of "How to" instructions for filing your report, please click here http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/eventsmain
100 Hours of Astronomy Participation Certificate We are pleased to announce the availability of a downloadable 100 Hours of Astronomy Participation Certificate for all registered events on our website. Once you have completed your online event report a link for downloading your Participation Certificate will be available.
100 Hours of Astronomy Photo Gallery The photo gallery has been a huge success and it is a great way to see everyone's 100HA events around the world, without actually being there. We encourage you all to upload your images, but wish to advise that there is a limit on the number of pictures you can upload - no more than 20MB per gallery with a 500k image size, the smaller the file size (resolution) the more pictures you can post. Only one gallery is permitted per registered group. This will ensure we have plenty of server space to offer all registered 100HA groups the opportunity to showcase their events. http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/photo-galleries/create-your-gallery Please note: "Unpublished" pictures that have not been deleted count against the size of your gallery, even if they are not visible. These images are still on the server whether published (made visible) or not.
Physics Today - The universe, yours to discover
7 April 2009
"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."
by Toni Feder
Physics Today -- April 2009:http://ptonline.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=PHTOAD000062000004000020000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=Yes
StarPeace Newsletter
7 April 2009
New Features on StarPeace Website:
StarPeace Precept: Do you want to know how a StarPeace event is organized? Do you wonder if your group could handle a StarPeace public star party and want to know the instruction? Read StarPeace Precept of holding a public star party.
StarPeace Newsletters: You can find StarPeace Newsletters Archive in the website.
Latest StarPeace News around the world:
Now StarPeace has participants from all continents except Antarctica! To check StarPeace clubs on 6 continents go to http://www.starpeace.org/En/Clubs/Default.aspx
StarPeace on Social Networks:
Latest news and updates on Twitter: http://twitter.com/starpeace
"Can amateur astronomers promote peace in the world?" Join StarPeace Discussion Board on FaceBook.
Latest news of Public Star/Space Parties around the world:
100 Hours of Astronomy held successfully and marvelously between 2-5 April. Each day of this Worldwide Astronomy Festival had a picture on Astronomy Picture of the Day website: 100 Hours of Astronomy Begins, Around the World in 80 Telescopes, Star Party on Planet Earth and Orange Sun Oozing.
Around 180,000 people from all around the world watched 100 Hours of Astronomy webcasts on Ustream.tv .
StarPeace in Media:
FETTU Cornerstone Project website: Watch photos from StarPeace "From Earth to the Universe" astronomy exhibition in Iran: http://www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org/event_photos.php#Iran
L'Astrofilo (marzo 2009) talked about IYA2009 projects in Italian: http://www.unipd.it/astro2009/rassegna/20090301-LAstrofilo.pdf
Irpedia: StarPeace Project, connecting people by the sky : http://www.irpedia.com/iran-news/1025/
StarPeace Recommendation in this week:
Yuri's week 2009 has just begun! Yuri's Night is a celebration of humanity's achievements in space. This year, Yuri's Night parties are held from April 4th-12th. People all around the world are celebrating Yuri's Night; read Party News. 41 countries joined Yuri's Night 2009; to find Yuri's Night events in your region check the Party List or Party Map.
Useful information and web links about Yuri Gagarin are available in StarPeace website.
StarPeace welcomed volunteers to translate this newsletter into other languages. If anyone is volunteer contact us at info@starpeace.org and we will give you every newsletter two days before publishing for translating.
Today's APOD: Star Party on Planet Earth
4 April 2009
s twilight sweeps around planet Earth tonight (April 4), many amateur astronomers will set up their telescopes for a 24-hour global star party. The planetwide star party is part of 100 Hours of Astronomy (100HA), a project of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. APOD: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090404.html
News Round-up, 3 April
3 April 2009
Happy News-Day!
Even though the Around the World in 80 Telescopes webcast is in full swing, there's always time for news.
The 100 Hours of Astronomy (100HA) Cornerstone project is underway! So it's no surprise that the media have picked up on 100HA related stories. VOA News has made 100 Hours of Astronomy their website of the week. They also give a good overview of the project, so will be useful reading for anyone that wants to know what the fuss is all about.
More information about the webcast can be found on Gaea News and SmasHits. Spacestation-Shuttle Blog is highlighting NASA's participation, and Space Exploration Blog is doing the same for ESA. An excellent LiveBlog is covering the webcast, too. And it has made Astronomy Picture of the Day.
100HA is about popularising astronomy and encouraging people to look at the Universe themselves. With this is mind, it's good to see so many star parties planned. See Mercury News, Indiana's News Center, Western News, Hickory Record, and The Huntsville Item for some examples. To find events in your area, remember to check the official 100HA site.
Next, a story from Commercial Appeal. The From Earth to the Universe Cornerstone has reached Memphis, and will be on display at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar, until April 30. Organiser and friend of IYA2009, Amit Kapadia, has furnished the article with some quotes. Try to make it along and see the exhibition, if you live in the area.
And now for something completely different. Do you fancy an astronomy-themed holiday? If so, you should read the Paradizio Blog which have found getaways suited to the International Year of Astronomy 2009. For example, Orient Express‘ "Closer to the Stars" package includes breakfast, a candlelit dinner, tickets to the Galileo Galilei exhibition at Palazzo, and exclusive access to the swimming pool for a midnight swim with a bottle of champagne. Sounds perfect! Except for the exhibition bit.
Now stop reading this and get involved in 100 Hours of Astronomy!
Don't forget to follow the webcast: "Around the World in 80 Telescopes": http://www.ustream.tv/channel/100-hours-of-astronomy
Lee Pullen
IYA2009 Staff Writer
‘Be an INTEGRAL Astronomer’ – an ESA competition for the IYA2009
3 April 2009
To mark the International Year of Astronomy 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
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