Sent electronically to Individual Members on February 25, 2009
by Karel A. van der Hucht, General Secretary
The Registration Server for the IAU XXVII General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), 3-14 August 2009, is on-line. See < www.astronomy2009.com.br >. The Registration Server also gives access to the GA Accommodation Server, the GA Abstract Server (deadline extended to 15 March), the GA Travel Grant Application Server (deadline 1 March) and the CUP Server for Pre-ordering GA Proceedings and Symposium Proceedings.
The deadline for Early Registration at reduced fees via the GA Registration Server has been extended to 1 May 2009.
The IAU XXVII GA National Organizing Committee, chaired by Daniela Lazzaro and Beatriz Barbuy, is going to great lengths to organize a most interesting and enjoyable GA for the IAU membership, invited participants and accompanying guests.
The scientific programme and practical information are published in IAU Information Bulletin 103
< www.iau.org/static/publications/IB103.pdf >.
Important deadlines:
Application for IAU GA Grants closes: 1 March
End on-line submission of abstracts (revised date): 15 March
Notification of IAU GA Grants: 1 April
SOC programme review and completion (revised date): 1 May
Notification of abstract acceptance (revised date): 1 May
End early on-line registration (revised date): 1 May
Start regular on-line registration (revised date): 2 May
Accepted abstracts may be revised: 15 May - 15 June
Media accreditation on-line registration: 24 July
End regular on-line registration: 24 July
Start on-site registration 3 August
IAU Information Bulletin 103 is online at < www.iau.org/static/publications/IB103.pdf >, containing updated information on the preparations for the upcoming IAU XXVII General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro.
HIGHLIGHTS OF ASTRONOMY, Volume 14
AS PRESENTED AT THE IAU XXVI GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Prague, Czech Republic, 14-25 August 2006
Ed. Karel A. van der Hucht
(Cambridge: CUP) ISBN: 978-0-521-89683-2, December 2007
< journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=IAU&volumeId=2&issueId=14 >
Transactions of the IAU, Volume XXVIB
PROCEEDINGS OF THE IAU XXVI GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Prague, Czech Republic, 14-25 August 2006
Ed.: Karel A. van der Hucht
(Cambridge: CUP) ISBN: 978-0-521-85606-5, November 2008
< journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=IAU&volumeId=3&issueId=T26B >
Transactions of the IAU, Volume XXVIIA
REPORTS ON ASTRONOMY 2006-2009
Ed. Karel A. van der Hucht
(Cambridge: CUP) ISBN: 978-0-521-85605-8, January 2009
< journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=IAU&volumeId=4&issueId=T27A&iid=3578468 >
Printed volumes can be ordered via
< www.cambridge.org/series/sSeries.asp?code=IAUP&srt=P >
The IAU solicits applications for the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation postdoctoral Fellowship 2009.
For details and application procedure, see
< www.iau.org/PETER_AND_PATRICIA_GRUBER_FOUN.98.0.html >,
section PPGF FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME.
The deadline for submitting applications to the IAU GS < k.a.van.der.hucht@sron.nl > has been extended (!) to 15 March 2009.
Please bring this announcement to the attention of the younger generation.
The IAU Executive Committee solicits proposals for hosting the IAU XXIX General Assembly in July-August 2015. Rules and guidelines are available at:
< www.iau.org/administration/meetings/hosting_ga/ >.
Please send a Letter-of-Intent to
Karel A. van der Hucht, IAU General Secretary,
< k.a.van.der.hucht@sron.nl >, with a copy to < iau@iap.fr >.
Complete bid books should reach the IAU General Secretary
< K.A.van.der.Hucht@sron.nl > and the IAU Secretariat
< iau@iap.fr > before the deadline of 1 April 2009.
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 has been launched and now has a total of 137 National Nodes. In January there were opening events in many countries around the world. The official launch of IYA2009 took place in Paris 15 January. Around 900 delegates were in attendance, including eminent scientists and prominent politicians.
The 11 Cornerstone projects are progressing extremely well. Some examples:
The Cosmic Diary has had more than 30,000 visitors from people in 155 countries. We are proud to have 65 bloggers, almost three times as many as originally anticipated. A new historical sub-blog, called Cosmic Diary: Greenwich 1894 is run by curators at the Greenwich Observatory using diaries and journals from a past Astronomy Royal and his assistants.
100 Hours of Astronomy, one of the IYA2009 Cornerstone Projects will take place 2-5 April < www.100hoursofastronomy.org/ >. This extravaganza will be a highlight of IYA2009, and
exciting preparations for the 24 hours webcast, global sidewalk astronomy and much more are in progress.
The much anticipated Galileoscope is now in production, and the web site will start taking orders on Monday 23 February: < www.galileoscope.org/ >.
The From Earth to the Universe < www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org/ > exhibitions are planned in more than 50 venues and new venues are being added every week.