[AstroNet] IYA2009 Update

Fri May 8 15:21:04 SAST 2009

International news...

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[Spocs] IYA2009 Update
Date: 	Fri, 08 May 2009 15:04:42 +0200
From: 	Pedro Russo <prusso at eso.org>

Dear friends,

Here are some IYA2009 updates from the last week.

*United Nations support space science education*
The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs has congratulated staff and 
students on the successful conclusion of the Sixth Postgraduate Course 
on Space and Atmospheric Science at the UN-affiliated Centre for Space 
Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTEAP). The 
Course is a contribution to IYA2009, and emphasises the importance of 
education and research in astronomy and space science. Their official 
website is: http://www.cssteap.org/

*2009: A year full of astronomical stamps!*
IYA2009 promises to have a number of astronomy related items released. 
Especially so since the annual PostEurop EUROPA series (with its 40+ 
member agencies) has selected "Astronomy" as its theme. See the 
Philatelic Release Calendar here: 
http://www.astronomy2009.org/organisation/structure/taskgroups/philately/calendar/

*Third Falakyati Mela in Okara, Pakistan*
More than 1500 attendees, an hour of presentation and another for live 
lunar and planetary views, extremely enthusiastic students with their 
parents and teachers, very well organised and publicise, .and a 
wonderful host! This is the KSS' third Falakyati Mela in the city of 
Okara. Those who were there would agree that we will probably not see 
any better this whole year. Would you like to know more? 
http://www.umairasim.com/Index/Blog/Entries/2009/5/5_Third_Falakyati_Mela_in_Okara,_April_6,_2009..html

*IYA2009 boosts GLOBE at Night to record number of dark-skies observations
*The global citizen-science campaign GLOBE at Night 2009 recorded 80 
percent more observations of the world's dark skies than the programme's 
previous record - including double the number of digital measurements - 
thanks in large part to active participation and publicity from the 
network of 140 countries currently celebrating IYA2009. More information 
is available here: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/258/**

*Touching the Edge of the Universe world premiere
*ESA will present the world premiere of Touching the Edge of the 
Universe, a stunning new planetarium show, starting 7 May 2009 at 30 
planetaria in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The premiere comes just 
days before the launch of Herschel & Planck, two of the show's starring 
missions, scheduled for 14 May. Further information can be found here: 
http://www.planetariumshow.eu

*Sand & Flower Festa 2009 in Japan themed after Galileo and IYA2009
*The 22nd Sand & Flower Festa 2009 in Minamisatsuma is being held from 
2-6 May at Fukiage Beach in Kagoshima Prefecture. The history of this 
festival dates back to 1987 when they planned to activate the city by 
making large sand sculptures using sand of Fukiage Beach. The size of 
the event has grown up to welcome 150 thousands visitors last year. The 
theme of sand sculptures is Galileo Galilei and the International Year 
of Astronomy 2009. This festival is one of the official events of IYA2009.

Seiichi Sakamoto, one of JAXA's bloggers on the Cosmic Diary was invited 
as a delegate of the IYA2009 Japan Committee and JAXA to give a public 
talk there. Read his post here: 
http://cosmicdiary.org/blogs/jaxa/seiichi_sakamoto/?p=378

The Sand & Flower Festa's official site is: 
http://www.sand-minamisatsuma.jp/index.htm

*GalileoMobile
*GalileoMobile is an itinerant science education project bringing the 
Year of Astronomy to young underprivileged people across South America, 
to foster a will of learning by exciting wonder about our Universe. 
Check out the official website: http://www.galileo-mobile.org/

*U.S. former astronaut visits Malta to mark IYA2009*
U.S. Senator and astronaut Harrison Schmitt has spent five busy days in 
Malta to mark IYA2009. Accompanied by his wife Teresa Fitzgibbon, he 
toured various schools and sixth forms and also appeared on a television 
programme Xarabank. To read more, visit: 
http://iya2009malta.page.tl/Astronaut-Geologist-Harrison-Schmitt,-Apollo-17-Lunar-Module-Pilot.htm

*Cidadanias "Space and Time": an IYA2009 performance
*Scale all life times into one hour.
The Universe, the Earth, a city, a man.
All in one hour. relative, parallel and metaphorical.

Would you understand things better?
Would you find solutions for a better society?

Our goal, as in the latest Cidadania works, is to join art and science 
and therefore just not question, as art does, but to propose solutions, 
as science does.

Specially written for the International Year of Astronomy 2009, more 
information can be found at: www.cidadania-darmstadt.info 
<http://www.cidadania-darmstadt.info>

*Special Project: observing mutual phenomena of the Galilean satellites 
of Jupiter*
In 2009, the equinox will occur on the planet Jupiter (a once every six 
year event), allowing observation from Earth of mutual occultations and 
eclipses between the Galilean satellites. We will take the opportunity 
of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 to encourage everyone to 
look at these satellites and to make astronomical observations. More 
information is available at: 
http://www.imcce.fr/hosted_sites/ama09/phemu09_en.html

*ESConet workshop report
*The final ESConet workshop report is now available here: 
http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/documents/detail/Esconet_IYA2009_report/

*StarPeace newsletter*
For the latest information about the StarPeace project, be sure to 
visit: http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/267/

*A CIRCLE OF PEACE: StarPeace builds bridges between four countries
*To promote the universality of the heavens, astronomers from four 
countries across Asia held a simultaneous public stargazing party on the 
night of 1 May 2009, under the aegis of StarPeace. Visit the website 
here: http://www.starpeace.org/**

*London's National Portrait Gallery exhibits portraits of astronomers
*Respected astronomers are getting the star treatment in London's 
National Portrait Gallery. Well-known stargazers will be featuring in 
the Portraits of Astronomers gallery, to celebrate IYA2009. The 
exhibition is running from 12 July 2009, in Room 38 a. For more 
information about Portraits of Astronomers and the National Portrait 
Gallery, please visit the official website: http://www.npg.org.uk/

*The Sixth International Conference On The Inspiration of Astronomical 
Phenomena
*The Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, the Astronomy 
Department of Padua University, the INAF-Padua Astronomical Observatory, 
and the Vatican Observatory are jointly organising the sixth 
international conference on "The Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena" 
(INSAP) to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first 
astronomical uses of the telescope. The Conference will be held on 18-23 
October 2009 at Palazzo Franchetti in Venice, Italy. To learn more, be 
sure to visit: http://www.astro.unipd.it/insap6/

*Smithsonian Photography Initiative celebrates IYA2009
*During May and June, the Smithsonian Photography Initiative offers 
three ways to celebrate both the International Year of Astronomy and the 
400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observation with a 
telescope by Galileo Galilei. To get involved, go to: 
http://photography.si.edu/

**If you need any assistance, remember that the Secretariat is always 
available for you.**

Pedro, Mariana and Lee
IYA2009 Secretariat

-- 
_________________________________________________
Pedro Russo
International Year of Astronomy 2009 Coordinator
Editor-in-Chief CAPjournal
International Astronomical Union
e. prusso at eso.org  
p. +49 (0) 89 320 06 195
f. +49 (0) 89 320 06 703
w. www.astronomy2009.org / www.capjournal.org
a. IAU IYA2009 Secretariat
ESO education and Public Outreach Department
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2
D-85748 Garching bei München
Germany

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