************ IAU0809: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ************
http://www.iau.org/public_press/news/release/iau0809/

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 Opening Ceremony:  
Save the Date

21 November 2008, Paris: With just six weeks to go before 2009, the International Year 
of Astronomy project is getting ready for its grand Opening Ceremony. This promises 
to be a spectacular event, held at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and 
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Headquarters in Paris, 15 and 16 January 2009. 
Hundreds of attendees are expected, including members of royal families, government 
ministers, Nobel Prize winners and other eminent scientists. The press is invited to 
attend and to “save the date” in the calendar.

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) has been launched by the 
International Astronomical Union (IAU) under the theme “The Universe, yours to 
discover”. IYA2009 marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei’s first astronomical 
observation through a telescope in 1609, an event that changed astronomy forever. 
IYA2009 will be a global celebration of astronomy and its contribution to society and 
culture, with strong emphasis on education, public participation, and the involvement of 
young people, and with events at national, regional, and global levels. Many thousands of 
individuals in over 130 countries around the world are already involved, forming the 
world’s largest ever astronomy network. IYA2009 will portray astronomy as a peaceful 
global scientific endeavour that unites astronomers in an international, multicultural 
family of scientists, working together to find answers to some of the most fundamental 
questions that humankind has ever asked.

A strong media presence is anticipated at the Opening Ceremony, drawn by the high 
profile events and speakers. In addition, there will be exhibits by well-known science 
institutions who support IYA2009. 

A press conference will be held on the 15 January 2009, 12:30 p.m., at the UNESCO 
Headquarters. This press conference will address some of the most vibrant subjects of 
modern astronomy research and the International Year of Astronomy 2009 highlights.

The Opening Ceremony is set to launch IYA2009 on its journey. Its mission: to help the 
citizens of the world rediscover their place within the Universe.

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Links
- Opening Ceremony website: http://www.astronomy2009.org/opening
- IYA2009 website: http://www.astronomy2009.org/

Media accreditation
Isabelle Cassandre Le Fournis 
UNESCO HQ, Paris
E-mail: i.le-fournis@unesco.org

For more information:
IAU IYA2009 Coordinator
Pedro Russo
ESO ePOD
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2 
D-85748 Garching bei München 
Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 195
Fax: +49 89 320 23 62 
E-mail: prusso@eso.org 
 
Further contacts
Yolanda Berenguer
UNESCO Focal Point for the International Year of Astronomy 2009
UNESCO HQ, Paris
Tel: +33-1-45684171
E-mail: y.berenguer@unesco.org
 
Francoise Combes
Chair of the Local Organising Committee
Observatoire de Paris, France
Tel : 33-1-40-51-20-77
Fax: 33-1-40-51-20-02 
E-mail : francoise.combes@obspm.fr

Dr. Karel A. van der Hucht
General Secretary, International Astronomical Union
IAU Secretariat, Paris, France
Tel: +33-1-43-25-83-58
E-mail: K.A.van.der.Hucht@sron.nl 

IAU Press Officer
Lars Lindberg Christensen
ESO ePOD, Garching, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6761
Cellular: +49-173-3872-621
E-mail: lars@eso.org