Publications

Code Type Publication
IAU Books Astronomers as Diplomats — When the IAU Builds Bridges Between Nations
Eds. Thierry Montmerle, Danielle Fauque
Springer
978-3-030-98625-4
3 Aug 2022

This book illuminates a few highly significant events in history in which astronomers have helped keep contacts between astronomers of different states in moments of international political tensions or even crises. The chapters, written by 20 international authors, focus on four periods where astronomers were particularly active in international relations:

1. The WWI period, the epoch of the creation of the IAU, in the context of the simultaneous creation of other scientific unions. The book also singles out the important role of A.S. Eddington and his network “across forbidden borders”.

2. The Cold war period and its consequences, when several countries were divided between opposite blocs. “The China crisis” is told here from different viewpoints by Chinese astronomers, both from the mainland and from Taiwan, in parallel with the evolution of astronomy in South and North Korea. Germany’s twisted path in its membership of the IAU, from its admission in 1951 to its reunification in 1991 is shown as another example.

3. The book then highlights a third period, when radio astronomers, in particular, were very active in “building bridges” between East and West. It also tells the history of how the apparently innocuous issue of the “lunar nomenclature” became extremely sensitive. The part ends on two chapters on Russian robotic missions and lunar surface features as well on the Russian participation in the “International Virtual Observatory” project.

4. The fourth part reports for the first time on the “hidden story” of the relations between the IAU and the United Nations after the “Moon race” when the United Nations decided to challenge the IAU’s authority on “extraterrestrial names”. The final chapter reviews how twenty years later UNESCO and the IAU had become strong partners in the difficult, but highly successful organization of the International Year of Astronomy (2002-2009), and of the “Astronomy and World Heritage” initiative (2008).

Electronic version
IAU Books China and the International Astronomical Union — Divorce, Separation and Reconciliation (1958–1982)
Thierry Montmerle, Yi Zhou
Springer
978-3-031-01787-2
3 Aug 2022

Seen from “inside the IAU,” this book tells the in-depth story of a major crisis in which China “divorced” from the International Astronomical Union in 1960 as a protest against the admission of Taiwan. This happened to all the scientific unions at the same time, and to the Olympic Games, which, unexpectedly, would serve as a laboratory for the “reconciliation” which took place following the re-opening of China to the world 20 years later.

The so-called “China conflict” is the most important crisis in the post-WWII history of the IAU. Yet, many details about this conflict and its links to broader geopolitical events have long remained unsettled, obscure, or altogether absent. In particular, the book describes for the first time the “separation” period, which covered the Cultural Revolution, and in which the IAU made desperate official efforts to reach out to China, while some groups of Western and Chinese astronomers managed to keep contact at times. On the occasion of the IAU Centenary celebrations in 2019, the book revisits this painful succession of events using unpublished documents from the IAU Archives and the International Council of Scientific Unions. The book also contains supplementary typescripts of selected handwritten correspondences and the full translation of key original Chinese documents unknown to readers outside China.

What emerges is a complex and fascinating story of human relations and science diplomacy under the shadow of the Cold War. Readers will learn how the 20-year “China conflict” as lived by astronomers and scientists is important not only for the history of the IAU, but also for the history of contemporary China.

“This book is full of so many original documents of the IAU office, very reliable and good to open to the public readers.” Shuhua Ye, Shanghai Observatory (IAU Vice-President, 1988-1994)

Electronic version
IAU Brochures IAU Flyer 2022
3 Aug 2022
Electronic version
IAU GA Newspapers IAU General Assembly 2022 - Issue 1
Mirinae - 미리내 - The Milky Way
Busan, Republic of Korea
2 Aug 2022
Electronic version
WGSBNB2#10 WGSBN Bulletins WGSBN Bulletin Volume 2, #10
Ed. WG Small Bodies Nomenclature
26 Jul 2022
Electronic version
IAU Division Reports Division A Annual Report (2021)
Eds. Hestroffer, D., Steves, B.
26 Jul 2022
Electronic version
WGSBNB2#9 WGSBN Bulletins WGSBN Bulletin Volume 2, #9
Ed. WG Small Bodies Nomenclature
5 Jul 2022
Electronic version
WGSBNB2#8 WGSBN Bulletins WGSBN Bulletin Volume 2, #8
Ed. WG Small Bodies Nomenclature
14 Jun 2022
Electronic version
IAU Division Reports Division E Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Mandrini, C. H.
13 Jun 2022
Electronic version
WGSBNB2#7 WGSBN Bulletins WGSBN Bulletin Volume 2, #7
Ed. WG Small Bodies Nomenclature
31 May 2022
Electronic version
IAUS 364 IAU Symposia Multi-scale (Time and Mass) Dynamics of Space Objects
Eds. Celletti, A.; Galeș, C.; Beaugé, C.; Lemaître, A.
30 May 2022
Details
Electronic version
IAU Information Bulletins/Catalyst IAU Catalyst March 2022
March 2022
IAU Secretariat
19 May 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission G4 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Szabó, R.
3 May 2022
Electronic version
WGSBNB2#6 WGSBN Bulletins WGSBN Bulletin Volume 2, #6
Ed. WG Small Bodies Nomenclature
3 May 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Junior Members
Eds. Delgado-Correal, C., Stacey, H.
27 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Time Metrology Standards
Ed. Arias, F.
27 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission G3 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. van Loon, J.
26 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission A1 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Jacobs, C. S.
18 Apr 2022
Electronic version
WGSBNB2#5 WGSBN Bulletins WGSBN Bulletin Volume 2, #5
Ed. WG Small Bodies Nomenclature
11 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Multi-waveband International Celestial Reference Frame
Ed. Charlot, P.
8 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Dark and Quiet Sky Protection
Ed. Walker, C.
7 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Site Protection
Ed. Green, R.
7 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission B7 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Walker, C.
7 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements
Ed. Archinal, B. A.
7 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Women in Astronomy
Ed. Pommier, M.
5 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission J1 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Kylafis, N. D.
5 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Improving Theories and Models of the Earth's Rotation (ITMER)
Eds. Ferrándiz, J. M.; Gross, R. S.
5 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Division Reports Division C Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Pović, M.
5 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Star Names
Ed. Hoffmann, S.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission A3 Annual Report (2021)
Eds. Stewart, S. G.; Ferrándiz, J. M.; Bell, S. A.; Fienga, A.; Matsakis, D. M.; Puatua, W. K.; Wilmot, A. J.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Astrometry by Small Ground Based Telescopes
Eds. Ivantsov, A.; Assafin, M.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission E1 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Ermolli, I.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Astronomy Competitions for Secondary School Students
Ed. Stachowski, G.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Designations & Nomenclature
Ed. Loup, C.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Small Bodies Nomenclature (SBN)
Ed. Ticha, J.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission J2 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Peroux, C.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Windows to the Universe: Classical and Modern Observatories
Ed. Wolfschmidt, G.
4 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Division Reports Division J Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Tran, K.
1 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission D1 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Shawhan, P.
1 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission G1 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Tout, C.
1 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission B6 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Smith, J.A.
1 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission B1 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Boily, C.
1 Apr 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Near Earth Objects
Ed. Michel, P.
31 Mar 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission B5 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Barklem, P.
31 Mar 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture
Eds. Gullberg, S.; Mejuto, J.
31 Mar 2022
Electronic version
IAU WG Reports WG Annual Report (2021) - Astronomical Heritage in Danger
Ed. López, A.M.
31 Mar 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission F4 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Belskaya, I.
31 Mar 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission B4 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Jackson, C.
31 Mar 2022
Electronic version
IAU Commission Reports Commission B3 Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Mahabal, A.
31 Mar 2022
Electronic version
IAU Division Reports Division B Annual Report (2021)
Ed. Giovannini, G.
31 Mar 2022
Electronic version

 

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