IAU Astronomy Outreach Newsletter
2016 #7 April #1
In this newsletter:
- From the Editors
- CAPjournal Rosetta — Special Edition
- Edinburgh Medal to Kevin Govender and the IAU
- National outreach contact corner: News from USA
- Join the Global Astronomy Month celebrations
- Transit of Mercury
- Asteroid Day
- Europlanet Call for Proposals
- NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge
- Meetings & global events for 2016
- a. Recently added
- b. Important deadlines
- c. Upcoming
- Contributions to IAU Outreach Newsletter for 2016
0) From the Editors
On 30 March, Kevin Govender and the IAU, represented by the IAU President Silvia Torres-Peimbert, received the Edinburgh Medal. We are very proud to see this recognition for the work developed by our sister office and the IAU as a whole. The IAU and the Office of Astronomy for Development are truly contributing to making the world a better place through astronomy.
In this issue, we highlight Global Astronomy Month (GAM2016) and the events celebrated around the world. If you haven’t yet registered your activities please go here and be a part of one of the largest educational and outreach events around the world.
Clear Skies!
Lina Canas & Sze-leung Cheung
IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach
1) CAPjournal Rosetta — Special Edition
The latest issue of the Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the outreach activities surrounding ESA’s Rosetta mission. If you receive the CAPjournal in hard copy, please don’t forget to confirm the print subscription. Please follow these instructions. If you do not confirm your subscription by 15 September 2016, we will assume you no longer wish to receive the CAPjournal in print form and will continue reading it online instead.
Learn more: https://www.iau.org/news/announcements/detail/ann16014/
2) Edinburgh Medal to Kevin Govender and the IAU
On Wednesday 30 March, the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh Council presented the prestigious Edinburgh Medal to Kevin Govender of the IAU’s Office of Astronomy for Development and Silvia Torres-Peimbert, President of the IAU, in a special ceremony at the 2016 Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Learn more: https://www.iau.org/news/announcements/detail/ann16015/
3) National outreach contact corner: News from USA
a) Astronomy Festival on the National Mall Brings the Universe down to Earth
The seventh annual Astronomy Festival on the National Mall is the largest astronomy event in Washington, DC, the capital of the United States. Previous festivals that were blessed by clear skies were attended as many as 70 000 people. On Friday, 10 June, STEM educators, astronomers, and volunteers from local astronomy clubs will set up many telescopes, posters, video equipment for multimedia presentations, and do a hands-on demonstration. This event is free and sponsored by Hofstra University.
Learn more: www.hofstra.edu/dcstars
b) The Kepler Story
The Kepler Story is a historical theatre piece that casts light on issues endemic to modern science and the nature of controversial discoveries that change the way reality is perceived. The Kepler Story draws analogies between Kepler’s life and the present day and it is currently on exhibition at the Fiske Planetarium in Colorado, USA.
For more information visit: www.thekeplerstory.org
4) Join the Global Astronomy Month celebrations
Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) has a vast list of events prepared for Global Astronomy Month 2016 (GAM2016). Here is what you can expect for 2016:
Find these, and more GAM2016 events details here: http://astronomerswithoutborders.org/gam2016-programs/program-schedule-2016.html
5) Transit of Mercury
On Monday, 9 May 2016, Mercury will transit the Sun for the first time since 2006. The transit will be widely visible across the American continent, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Europe, Africa and much of Asia. Unfortunately, none of the transit will be visible from eastern Asia, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. There are many activities being arranged around the world so that no one will be left out from observing the transit. If you are going to watch the transit then consider sharing your experience live with everyone around the world.
Find out more about the transit here: http://eclipsewise.com/oh/tm2016.html and join the GAM special celebrations here: http://astronomerswithoutborders.org/gam2016-programs/observing/3163-transit-of-mercury.html
6) Asteroid Day
Asteroid Day is a worldwide public education effort about asteroids, the associated science and the scientists working in the field. Over the last few years the global response to the event has increased steadily, and is predicted to reach 300 events worldwide this year. The organising team are reaching out to local communities and encourage everyone to coordinate their Asteroid Day activities to take place on and/or around 30 June 2016.
Learn how you can join the celebrations: http://asteroidday.org/
7) Europlanet Call for Proposals
Europlanet awards grants of between 5000 and 15 000 euros to fund projects to engage the public with planetary science. Through the funding scheme, Europlanet aims to encourage new ways of bringing planetary science to audiences across Europe and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. Download the application form for the Europlanet Public Engagement Funding Scheme 2016. The call for applications will close on 30 April 2016.
Learn more: http://www.europlanet-eu.org/outreach/funding-scheme/
8) NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge
From 22–24 April, for 48–72 hours across the world, problem solvers around the world can join NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge, one of the largest hackathons in the world. Empowered by open data, participants can collaborate with strangers, colleagues, friends, and family to solve perplexing challenges in new and unexpected ways. Join NASA on their open data mission, and show how you can innovate.
Learn more: https://2016.spaceappschallenge.org/
9) Meetings & global events for 2016
Here is a list of astronomy outreach & education conferences and events for 2016.
a. Recently added
Asteroid Day Celebrations
Date: 30 June
Location: Worldwide
More Information: http://asteroidday.org/
b. Important deadlines
European Week of Astronomy and Space Science (EWASS)
Registration Deadline (early bird): 30 April 2016
Date: 4–8 July 2016
Location: Athens, Greece
More Information: http://eas.unige.ch/EWASS2016/
c. Upcoming
a) Global Astronomy Month
Date: April 2016
Location: All around the world
More information: http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/
b) Yuri’s Night
Date: 12 April
Location: All around the world
More information: https://yurisnight.net/
c) 9th International Meeting of Astronomy and Astronautics
Date: 14—16 April 2016
Location: Campos de Goytacazes, Brazil
More Information: http://9imaa.eventbrite.com/
d) Robotic Telescopes in Education workshop
Date: 18—19 April 2016
Location: Leiden, the Netherlands
More Information: https://lcogt.net/blog/robotic-telescopes-in-education-workshop/
e) Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2016 conference
Date: 16–20 May 2016
Location: Medellín, Colombia
More Information: http://bit.ly/25rvH6Z
f) International Meteor Conference (IMC) 2016
Date: 2—5 June 2016
Location: Egmond, Netherlands
More Information: http://imc2016.imo.net/
g) International Planetarium Society Conference
Date: 19—25 June 2016
Location: Warsaw, Poland
More Information: http://www.ips2016.org/
h) .Astronomy 8
Date: 21—23 June 2016
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
More Information: http://dotastronomy.com/events/eight/
i) SPIE Astronomical Telescopes +Instrumentation 2016
Date: 26 June – 1 July 2016
Location: Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
More Information: http://spie.org/SPIE-ASTRONOMY-conference
j) Royal Astronomical Society National Astronomy Meeting 2016
Date: 27 June to 1 July 2016
Location: Nottingham, United Kingdom
More Information: https://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/2730-national-astronomy-meeting-2016
j) Asteroid Day Celebrations
Date: 30 June 2016
Location: Worldwide
More Information: http://asteroidday.org/
l) European Week of Astronomy and Space Science (EWASS)
Date: 4—8 July 2016
Location: Athens, Greece
More Information: http://eas.unige.ch/EWASS2016/
m) International Astronomical Youth Camp (IAYC)
Date: 24 July to 13 August
Location: Exmoor National Park, Somerset, UK
More information: http://www.iayc.org/
n) 41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly
Date: 30 July — 7 August 2016
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
More Information: https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/content/cospar-2016-0
o) Global Hands-On Universe Conference (GHOU 2016) & Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) International Workshop
Date: 22 to 27 August 2016
Location: Stord, Norway
More information: http://handsonuniverse.org/ghou2016/registration/
p) Twenty Fourth Annual Conference (SEAC 2016)
Date: 12–16 September 2016
Location: Bath, England
More Information: http://www.seac2016.com/
q) International Conference on Artificial Light at Night (ALAN 2016)
Date: 26—28 September 2016
Location: Cluj, Napoca, Romania
More Information: http://www.artificiallightatnight.org/
r) LARIM 2016: XV Latin American Regional IAU Meeting
Date: 3—7 October, 2016
Location: Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
More Information: http://larim.unal.edu.co/
s) World Space Week
Date: 4–10 October
Location: Worldwide
More Information: http://www.worldspaceweek.org/theme/
t) International Observe the Moon Night
Date: 8 October 2016
Location: All around the world
More Information: http://observethemoonnight.org/
u) DPS-EPSC Joint Meeting 2016
Date: 16—21 October 2016
Location: Pasadena, CA, United States
More Information: http://www.epsc2015.eu/
v) IX International Conference on Oriental Astronomy
Date: 15–18 November 2016
Location: Pune, India
More Information: http://icoa2016.tifr.res.in
Have we missed something? Then share your astronomy outreach and education international meetings or events with us via outreach@iau.org.
10) Contributions to IAU Outreach Newsletter for 2016
Here at the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach, we are always looking for more news about astronomical education and outreach events around the world. Please continue to share your stories with us in 2016! If you are organizing any large-scale events at a regional or international level, offering astronomy education or communication job positions, have any innovative projects or inspiring stories, looking for professional–amateur collaboration in astronomy, or have created any educational resources, let us know by sending an email to outreach@iau.org.