ann20033 — Announcement

Cover of CAPjournal 27
23 September 2020
Call for Papers: CAPjournal Special Issue on Astronomy Communication in a Time of Confinement

In this time of confinement, while the world still fights to contain the spread of COVID-19, people from all backgrounds and levels of experience in public communication have organised astronomy events to connect with their communities. Individuals have streamed their night sky through a telescope at their window; astronomers have held virtual meetups; educators have shared fun DIY activities for parents and children at home; planetariums have broadcast live remote shows; and astronomy challenges have been set up online. We’ve seen numerous creative and inspiring activities happening all around the world.

Now, the CAPjournal is seeking contributions from groups and individuals for a special issue that will share the stories behind the outreach initiatives that continue to engage the public meaningfully with science and astronomy during the pandemic. We are asking outreach professionals, educators, amateur and professional astronomers, and astronomy enthusiasts to share their experiences, with the aim of helping and inspiring others who are struggling with the societal and professional impacts of the pandemic.

In this special issue, we are looking to include articles and literature reviews on best practice and available resources. We particularly encourage pieces discussing: the relevance of astronomy activities in times of confinement; the challenges of the “new normal” with health and safety measures in place; societal changes for both science communicators and the public; and how your own practice has been affected and how you have adapted.

Abstracts for potential articles should be a maximum of 1000 characters in length. The abstract and submission should describe the problem tackled (i.e., the research focus) or the motivation for the work undertaken, the methods used to solve the issue (i.e., the implementation process), the findings (i.e., the results), and the main conclusions from the study or intervention.

Abstract submission closes on 18 January 2021 and the authors of the selected abstracts will be informed in early March 2021. Guidelines will be provided to the successful authors for the development of their abstracts into full articles. The final articles should be around 1500 words and will be revised and approved by the CAPjournal Editorial Board.

  • Abstract submission is now open until 18 January 2021 (ca. 1000 characters);
  • Authors of the selected abstracts will be informed in early March. These authors will be provided with further guidelines for the development of full articles;
  • Submission of full articles is in mid-April 2021;
  • All final articles should be around 1500 words and will be revised and approved by the CAPjournal Editorial Board.

This CAPjournal special issue is scheduled for release in July 2021.

Submit your abstract here or send directly to the editor (editor@capjournal.org) with the subject line “CAPjournal #30 Abstract Submission”.

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together almost 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.

Links

Contacts

Lina Canas,
IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach
Editor-in-Chief, CAP Journal
lina.canas@nao.ac.jp 

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Press Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 761
Cell: +49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars@eso.org

About the Announcement

Id:
ann20033

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Cover of CAPjournal 27