The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) invites everyone to get involved with the 2023 Dark and Quiet Skies project, to be held in May. The programme includes many events throughout the month to raise awareness of the importance of dark and quiet skies for human health, the environment and our cultural heritage. As part of the programme, the OAO will be hosting a smartphone astrophotography workshop and a seminar on the cultural relevance of dark and quiet sky protection.

The OAO also encourages the public to organise their own events, from star parties to planetarium shows, to celebrate and advocate for dark and quiet skies. You can find inspiration for planning a dark sky event from the Office for Astronomy Outreach Toolkit, and you can share your plans in the Events Calendar.

Other ways of getting involved include taking the Global Light Pollution Initiatives Survey, taking the pledge to become a dark and quiet skies protector, and joining the social media campaign using the hashtag #DarkAndQuietSkies. You can find out more about events taking place online and near you on the event page.

This project is conducted in collaboration with the IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS), the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE), the International Day of Light (IDL), the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), Astronomers Without Borders (AWB), IAU Commission B7, Globe at Night, Hong Kong University, and other national and regional partners. If you represent a dark sky organisation and are interested in partnering with us, please contact public@oao.iau.org.

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together more than 12 000 active professional astronomers from more than 100 countries worldwide. Its mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world's largest professional body for astronomers.

The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) is a joint project of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). The mission of the OAO is to engage the public in astronomy through access to astronomical information and communication of the science of astronomy. This is implemented through a network of IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs) and the IAU’s public engagement initiatives. The work of the OAO is about building bridges between the IAU and the global astronomy community of amateur astronomers, outreach professionals, educators, communicators, and the general public, and through international collaboration, to make the science of astronomy accessible to all.

Links

• Registration for smartphone astrophotography workshop
• Registration for OAO Seminar on the cultural relevance of dark and quiet sky protection
• Global Light Pollution Initiatives Survey
• Dark Sky Protector Pledge

Contacts

Kelly Blumenthal
Deputy Director
IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach
blumenthal.kelly@oao.iau.org

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Director of Communications
Cell: +1 520 461 0433/+49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars.christensen@noirlab.edu