Press Releases

Also see our press releases on eso.org, astronomy2009.org, spacetelescope.org.

iau0807 — News Release

IAU names fifth dwarf planet Haumea

17 September 2008: The International Astronomical Union (the IAU) today announced that the object previously known as 2003 EL61 is to be classified as the fifth dwarf planet in the Solar System and named Haumea.

iau0806 — News Release

Fourth dwarf planet named Makemake

19 July 2008: The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has given the name Makemake to the newest member of the family of dwarf planets — the object formerly known as 2005 FY9 — after the Polynesian creator of humanity and the god of fertility.

iau0805 — Organisational Release

Bond receives $500,000 Gruber Cosmology Prize for major theoretical insights into the origin of the Universe

12 June 2008: J. Richard Bond, PhD, director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Cosmology and Gravity Program, is the recipient of the 2008 Cosmology Prize of the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation, for groundbreaking theoretical work on structure formation and the evolution of the Universe.

iau0804 — News Release

Plutoid chosen as name for Solar System objects like Pluto

11 June 2008: The International Astronomical Union has decided on the term plutoid as a name for dwarf planets like Pluto at a meeting of its Executive Committee in Oslo.

iau0803 — News Release

The International Astronomical Union teams up with the Norwegian Academy of Science and the Kavli Prize

5 June 2008: In an important move, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and the International Astronomical Union have joined forces in support of both the Kavli Prize and the IAU International Schools for Young Astronomers.

iau0802 — News Release

The first International Year of Astronomy 2009 Cornerstone Project brings the stars to Liverpool, UK

5 June 2008: A prototype exhibit of astronomy images called From Earth to the Universe is a precursor of the wide range of events planned in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy in 2009. The dazzling display of images will take viewers deep into the Universe from 7-29 June 2008 and will be held at the Albert Dock in Liverpool, UK.

iau0801 — News Release

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 welcomes the 100th participating country

17 January 2008: The organisers of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009), the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO, welcomed this week the 100th participating country to the growing ranks of participating countries and organisations for this worldwide astronomy project. This milestone is reached only four weeks after the official Proclamation of IYA2009 by the United Nations.

iau0702 — News Release

The United Nations declares 2009 the International Year of Astronomy

20 December 2007: Early this morning (CET) the United Nations (UN) 62nd General Assembly proclaimed 2009 the International Year of Astronomy. The Resolution was submitted by Italy, Galileo Galilei's home country. The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is an initiative of the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO.

iau0701 — News Release

New journal for astronomy communicators goes live!

26 October 2007: In response to an increasing need among the growing community of astronomy communicators, the International Astronomical Union is today announcing the advent of a new journal called “Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal”. Subscriptions to print and online versions are free of charge to communicators.

gruber0701 — Organisational Release

PPGF Cosmology Prize Recipients 2007

17 July 2007: A crazy result delivers the $500,000 Gruber Cosmology Prize to two teams who discovered the accelerating universe.

iau0607 — News Release

IYA2009 web page public, National Node chairs appointed

21 December 2006: The web page for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) http://www.astronomy2009.org/
has just gone public. The page is the main starting point for the global and local IYA2009 events and everyone interested in IYA2009 can use this page to get in contact with their local IYA2009 National Node. The Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2007 Conference (CAP2007) held in Athens (October 2007) will have IYA2009 as the main theme.

iau0606 — News Release

The International Astronomical Union announces the International Year of Astronomy 2009

27 October 2006: The International Astronomical Union will be coordinating the International Year of Astronomy in 2009. This initiative is an opportunity for the citizens of Earth to gain a deeper insight into astronomy’s role in enriching all human cultures. Moreover, it will serve as a platform for informing the public about the latest astronomy discoveries while emphasizing the essential role of astronomy in science education.

iau0605 — News Release

IAU names dwarf planet Eris

14 September 2006: The International Astronomical Union announces the names (136199) Eris for the dwarf planet provisionally named 2003 UB313 and Dysnomia for its moon.

iau0604 — News Release

The International Astronomical Union elects Catherine Cesarsky as new President

28 August 2006: The 2006 General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), meeting in Prague ( Czech Republic), has elected the ESO Director General, Dr. Catherine Cesarsky, as President for a three-year period (2006-2009). Dr. Cesarsky is the first woman to receive this high distinction. Dr. Cesarsky has three exciting years ahead of her, especially since 2009 will be the International Year of Astronomy.

iau0603 — News Release

IAU 2006 General Assembly: Result of the IAU Resolution votes

24 August 2006: The first half of the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly has just concluded. The results of the Resolution votes are outlined here.

iau0602 — News Release

The Final IAU Resolution on the definition of "planet" ready for voting

24 August 2006: At the second session of the 2006 International Astronomical Union (IAU) General Assembly, which will be held 14:00 Thursday 24 August, members of the IAU will vote on the Resolutions presented below. There will be separate sequential votes on Resolution 5A and Resolution 5B. Similarly, there will be separate votes on Resolutions 6A and 6B.

iau0601 — News Release

The IAU draft definition of "planet" and "plutons"

16 August 2006: The world's astronomers, under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), have concluded two years of work defining the difference between "planets" and the smaller "solar system bodies" such as comets and asteroids. If the definition is approved by the astronomers gathered 14-25 August 2006 at the IAU General Assembly in Prague, our Solar System will include 12 planets, with more to come: eight classical planets that dominate the system, three planets in a new and growing category of "plutons" - Pluto-like objects - and Ceres. Pluto remains a planet and is the prototype for the new category of "plutons."

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