IAU Astronomy Outreach Newsletter

2016 #2 January #2

In this newsletter:

  1. From the Editors
  2. Opening for an honorary position — IAU astroEDU Editor-in-Chief
  3. IAU Symposium — Research in Astronomy Education: Far Reaching Impacts and Future Directions
  4. IAU Commission CC1 — Astronomy Education and Development Newsletter
  5. IAU National Outreach Contact Corner — News from the Netherlands
  6. Beyond Cosmic Light — Galileoscope
  7. Follow a live planet hunt! — Pale Red Dot campaign launched
  8. Robotic Telescopes in Education workshop
  9. 365 Days Of Astronomy celebrates eight successful years
  10. Meetings & global events around the world for 2016
  11. Contributions to IAU Outreach Newsletter for 2016

 

0) From the Editors

In this issue, we congratulate 365 Days of Astronomy on eight years of awesome podcasts. astroEDU is looking for a new editor-in-chief, so is anyone interested in being part of the astroEDU team? Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of this amazing team. Also, don’t forget to check out the workshop on robotic telescopes in education that will be hosted by LCOGT in April.

And a big thank you to all our contributing National Outreach Contacts (NOCs), who have highlighted national and international activities and events in their country.

January had a great start with lots of interesting new things happening; our team is looking forward to hearing more about what lies in store for 2016!

Clear skies!
Lina Canas & Sze-leung Cheung
IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach

 

1) Opening for an honorary position: IAU astroEDU Editor-in-Chief

The astroEDU team is looking for an editor-in-chief with a minimum of two years’ experience in astronomy education and/or science education. Minimum educational level of Masters in astronomy and/or science education or communication, with a good command of English for a three-year appointment. Relevant knowledge of science curricula will be an added advantage. The position is an honorary position with an annual travel budget to assist with attending a relevant international conference (e.g. CAP conference, IAU GA, ASP, etc.).

Learn more details: http://bit.ly/1P94UoL

 

2) IAU Symposium — Research in Astronomy Education: Far Reaching Impacts and Future Directions

The primary goal of this IAU Symposium is to bring together astronomy education experts to plot a next-steps roadmap and a global astronomy education research agenda for the next ten years, while honouring past research results. This symposium will feature key speakers who are international leaders in discipline-based education research in astronomy and planetary science via invited talks. The abstract submission deadline is 1 April 2016.

Learn more: http://www.unitt.de/?context=609&&card=heises.69d0792d184ec36af01e47447269c0d4

 

3) IAU Commission CC1 — Astronomy Education and Development Newsletter

In this issue, you can find some final reports from various national liaisons and notices of interest to the educational community. Newsletter 82 of IAU Commission 46, will be the last edition published under the IAU old commission structure, which will be superseded by the new Division C following action at the IAU General Assembly in Honolulu, August 2015.

Learn more: http://iaucc1.frm.utn.edu.ar/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IAUNL82.pdf

 

4) IAU National Outreach Contact Corner — News from the Netherlands

The Centraal Museum in Utrecht presented the exhibition Nice ’n light. In this thematic exhibition, the visitor is immersed in what light does and means to people. These works bring together fashion designs, industrial design, visual arts and music videos from different eras and contexts.

Learn more: http://centraalmuseum.nl/en/visit/exhibitions/nice-n-light/

(by Marieke Baan, NOC from the Netherlands)

 

5) Beyond Cosmic Light — Galileoscope

Galileoscope is a high-quality, low-cost telescope kit, optimised for both optics education and celestial observation. As part of the 2015 Cosmic Light special programme, the International Year of Light edition of the Galileoscope began shipping in May 2015 and by 31 December had shipped 16 000. Ten thousand of these kits went to US K–12 teachers via the special promotion funded by Ric and Jean Edelman (more than 1600 teachers received one case of six kits each). The remaining 6000 kits went to individuals who ordered online or to educators or outreach professionals who made bulk purchases of anywhere from 72 to 600 kits.

Galileoscope continues as a worldwide education project, with a dealer distribution network in the United States and Europe, and direct supply to educational institutions in other countries. There are opportunities to enter new education markets, particularly in south Asia, and to expand the distribution of Galileoscope kits through science centres, science camps, and astronomy research facilities.

Learn more about Galileoscope here: http://galileoscope.org/

 

6) Follow a live planet hunt! — Pale Red Dot campaign launched

A unique outreach campaign has been launched. The Pale Red Dot campaign will allow the general public to follow scientists from around the globe as they search for an Earth-like exoplanet around the closest star to us, Proxima Centauri. The observing campaign will run from January to April 2016 and will be accompanied by blog posts and social media updates. No one knows what the outcome will be. In the months following the observations, the scientists will analyse the data and submit the results to a peer-reviewed journal.

Read more here: http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann16002/

 

7) Robotic Telescopes in Education workshop

Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT) is organising a two-day workshop at Leiden Observatory, 18–19 April 2016. The purpose of this meeting is to explore the LCOGT, and how this unique resource can be used to enhance existing education programmes, to create new educational opportunities, and to inspire people with an interest in astronomy to undertake science investigations.

We welcome anyone with innovative ideas for science outreach and education using robotic telescopes to attend: https://lcogt.net/blog/robotic-telescopes-in-education-workshop/

 

8) 365 Days Of Astronomy celebrates eight successful years

365 Days of Astronomy is a community podcast and YouTube channel that relies on a network of dedicated podcasters across the globe. These are people who are willing to share their knowledge and experience in astronomy with the world. The podcast has delivered daily content, discussing all the varied topics in the constantly changing realm of astronomy. The show is directed by Avivah Yamani and produced by Richard Drumm and is part of the CosmoQuest virtual research facility. 365 days Of Astronomy is open to anyone, and podcasts can be submitted through the website.

Learn more about 365 Days of Astronomy and CosmoQuest here: http://bit.ly/1kIKaIi

 

9) Meetings & global events around the world for 2016

Here is the list of the most awaited astronomy outreach & education conferences and events for 2016. Plan ahead for a 2016 full of exciting events. Have we missed something? Share with us your astronomy outreach and education international meetings or events via outreach@iau.org.

a) Global Astronomy Month
Date: April 2016
Location: All around the world
More information: http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/

b) 9th International Meeting of Astronomy and Astronautics
Date: 14—16 April 2016
Location: Campos de Goytacazes, Brazil
More Information: http://9imaa.eventbrite.com/

c) Robotic Telescopes in Education workshop
Date: 18—19 May 2016
Location: Leiden, the Netherlands
More Information: https://lcogt.net/blog/robotic-telescopes-in-education-workshop/

d) Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2016 conference
Date: 16—20 May 2016
Location: Medellín, Colombia
More Information: https://www.facebook.com/CAPconference

e) International Meteor Conference (IMC) 2016
Date: 2—5 June 2016
Location: Egmond, Netherlands
More Information: http://imc2016.imo.net/

f) International Planetarium Society Conference
Date: 19—25 June 2016
Location: Warsaw, Poland
More Information: http://www.ips2016.org/

g) .Astronomy 8
Date: 21—23 June 2016
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
More Information: http://dotastronomy.com/events/eight/

h) 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

i) 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) European Week of Astronomy and Space Science (EWASS)
Date: 4—8 July 2016
Location: Athens, Greece
More Information: http://eas.unige.ch/EWASS2016/

k) 41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly
Date: 30 July — 7 August 2016
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
More Information: https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/content/cospar-2016-0

l) Twenty Fourth Annual Conference (SEAC 2016)
Date: 12–16 September 2016
Location: Bath, England
More Information: http://www.seac2016.com/

m) International Conference on Artificial Light at Night (ALAN 2016)
Date: 26—28 September 2016
Location: Cluj, Napoca, Romania
More Information: http://www.artificiallightatnight.org/

n) 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/

o) IAU Symposia IAUS 326: Research in Astronomy Education: Far-reaching Impacts and Future Directions
Date: 4–7 October 2016
Location: Heidelberg, Germany
More Information: https://www.iau.org/science/meetings/future/symposia/1159/

p) International Observe the Moon Night
Date: 8 October 2016
Location: All around the world
More Information: http://observethemoonnight.org/

q) DPS-EPSC Joint Meeting 2016
Date: 16—21 October 2016
Location: Pasadena, CA, United States
More Information: http://www.epsc2015.eu/

r) IX International Conference on Oriental Astronomy
Date: 15–18 November 2016
Location: Pune, India
More Information: http://icoa2016.tifr.res.in

 

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. In 2016 please continue to share your stories with us! 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.