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<tt>International news...</tt><br>
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<td>[Spocs] IYA2009 Update</td>
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<td>Fri, 08 May 2009 15:04:42 +0200</td>
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<td>Pedro Russo <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:prusso@eso.org"><prusso@eso.org></a></td>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Dear friends,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Here are some IYA2009 updates
from the last
week.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">United
Nations support space science education</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><br>
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: <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.cssteap.org/">http://www.cssteap.org/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">2009:
A year full of astronomical stamps!</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><br>
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: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.astronomy2009.org/organisation/structure/taskgroups/philately/calendar/">http://www.astronomy2009.org/organisation/structure/taskgroups/philately/calendar/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">Third
Falakyati Mela in Okara, Pakistan</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"> <br>
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? <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.umairasim.com/Index/Blog/Entries/2009/5/5_Third_Falakyati_Mela_in_Okara,_April_6,_2009..html">http://www.umairasim.com/Index/Blog/Entries/2009/5/5_Third_Falakyati_Mela_in_Okara,_April_6,_2009..html</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">IYA2009
boosts GLOBE at Night to record number of dark-skies observations<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">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: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/258/">http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/258/</a><b
style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">Touching
the Edge of the Universe world premiere<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">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: <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.planetariumshow.eu">http://www.planetariumshow.eu</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">Sand
& Flower Festa 2009 in Japan themed after Galileo and IYA2009<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">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: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://cosmicdiary.org/blogs/jaxa/seiichi_sakamoto/?p=378">http://cosmicdiary.org/blogs/jaxa/seiichi_sakamoto/?p=378</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The Sand & Flower Festa’s
official site
is: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.sand-minamisatsuma.jp/index.htm">http://www.sand-minamisatsuma.jp/index.htm</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">GalileoMobile
<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">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: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.galileo-mobile.org/">http://www.galileo-mobile.org/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">U.S.
former astronaut visits Malta to mark IYA2009</span></b><span
lang="EN-GB"><br>
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: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://iya2009malta.page.tl/Astronaut-Geologist-Harrison-Schmitt,-Apollo-17-Lunar-Module-Pilot.htm">http://iya2009malta.page.tl/Astronaut-Geologist-Harrison-Schmitt,-Apollo-17-Lunar-Module-Pilot.htm</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">Cidadanias
"Space and Time": an IYA2009 performance<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">Scale all life times into one hour.<br>
The Universe, the Earth, a city, a man.<br>
All in one hour. relative, parallel and metaphorical.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Would you understand things
better?<br>
Would you find solutions for a better society?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Specially written for the
International
Year of Astronomy 2009, more information can be found at: <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.cidadania-darmstadt.info">www.cidadania-darmstadt.info</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">Special
Project: observing mutual phenomena of the Galilean satellites of
Jupiter</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><br>
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: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.imcce.fr/hosted_sites/ama09/phemu09_en.html">http://www.imcce.fr/hosted_sites/ama09/phemu09_en.html</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">ESConet
workshop report<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">The final ESConet workshop report is now
available
here: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/documents/detail/Esconet_IYA2009_report/">http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/documents/detail/Esconet_IYA2009_report/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">StarPeace
newsletter</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><br>
For the latest information about the StarPeace project, be sure to
visit: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/267/">http://www.astronomy2009.org/news/updates/267/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">A
CIRCLE OF PEACE: StarPeace builds bridges between four countries<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">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: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.starpeace.org/">http://www.starpeace.org/</a><b
style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">London's
National Portrait Gallery exhibits portraits of astronomers<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">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: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.npg.org.uk/">http://www.npg.org.uk/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">The
Sixth International Conference On The Inspiration of Astronomical
Phenomena<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">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: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.astro.unipd.it/insap6/">http://www.astro.unipd.it/insap6/</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span lang="EN-GB">Smithsonian
Photography Initiative celebrates IYA2009<br>
</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">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: <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://photography.si.edu/">http://photography.si.edu/</a></span></p>
<b style=""><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></b><span lang="EN-GB">If
you need any assistance, remember that
the Secretariat is always available for you.<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Pedro, Mariana and Lee<br>
IYA2009 Secretariat</span></p>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
_________________________________________________
Pedro Russo
International Year of Astronomy 2009 Coordinator
Editor-in-Chief CAPjournal
International Astronomical Union
e. <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:prusso@eso.org">prusso@eso.org</a>
p. +49 (0) 89 320 06 195
f. +49 (0) 89 320 06 703
w. <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.astronomy2009.org">www.astronomy2009.org</a> / <a
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.capjournal.org">www.capjournal.org</a>
a. IAU IYA2009 Secretariat
ESO education and Public Outreach Department
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2
D-85748 Garching bei München
Germany
</pre>
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