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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>The international
IYA committee is planning a street-astronomy project – “Galilean
Nights” – for the 22-24 October. This sounds like a really
good project for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South
Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> to get involved with. More
details are at <a
href="http://www.astronomy2009.org/globalprojects/cornerstones/galilean">www.astronomy2009.org/globalprojects/cornerstones/galilean</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>The
intro to this website is appended below.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>The
local IYA committee has decided to try using a google group both to organize this
project, and as a local astronomy outreach discussion group. Please note
that AstronomyOutreachSA is intended to be a discussion group, as opposed to
AstroNet, which is for disseminating information. In other words, all the
discussion about telescope mounts that caused a mass exodus from AstroNet can
now be done at AstronomyOutreachSA. We are also hoping that this group
will facilitate organization of Galilean Nights and other similar projects.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><a
href="http://groups.google.co.za/group/astronomy_outreach_sa">AstronomyOutreachSA</a>
is at groups.google.co.za/group/astronomy_outreach_sa<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>To
join the group, you need to request an invitation-to-join (on the right, on the
website). This is because the discussion will be unmoderated (although we
will keep an eye on it and evict anyone who behaves badly). Once you
join, you can post, upload files, and invite others to join. If you’re
worried about being inundated with discussion, select the “digest”
option for receiving mails from the group.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Street
astronomy is enormous fun, and extremely rewarding. On the 22 to 24
October, both the Moon and Jupiter will be visible. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Regards<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>Claire Flanagan</span></font></st1:PersonName><font
size=2><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Jhb
Planetarium<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>From <a
href="http://www.astronomy2009.org/globalprojects/cornerstones/galilean">www.astronomy2009.org/globalprojects/cornerstones/galilean</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Following
the unprecedented success of IYA2009's 100 Hours of Astronomy
(www.100hoursofastronomy.org), which featured hugely popular projects such as a
Global Star Party, the live 24-hour webcast "Around the World in 80
Telescopes", a Science Centre webcast, Sun Day and 100 Hours of Remote
Astronomy, another series of astronomy events has been highlighted for 22-24
October 2009. This new IYA2009 Cornerstone Project is called Galilean Nights
and will see amateur and professional astronomers around the globe taking to
the streets, pointing their telescopes to the wonders that Galileo observed 400
years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>The
focus of the project is sidewalk observations of gas giant Jupiter and its
moons, as well as allowing members of the public to observe the Sun, our own
Moon and many more celestial marvels.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>Claire Flanagan</span></font></st1:PersonName><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Wits
Planetarium</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>011-717-1391
/ 9</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>076-744-4735</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>011-339-2926
(fax)</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>www.planetarium.co.za</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<table><tr><td bgcolor=#ffffff><font color=#000000><pre><html><p><font face = "verdana" size = "0.8" color = "navy">This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or disseminate this communication without the permission of the University. Only authorized signatories are competent to enter into agreements on behalf of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content of this message may not be legally binding on the University and may contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which are not necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and outsiders are subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in writing to the contrary.</font></p></html></pre></font></td></tr></table>