IAU Astronomy Outreach Newsletter

2016 #3 February #1

In this newsletter:

  1. From the Editors
  2. 2016 Indonesia Total Solar Eclipse Astronomy Volunteer Outreach Program
  3. Beyond Cosmic Light: Dark Sky Meter app
  4. IAU National Outreach Contact Corner: News from Japan
  5. Inspired by Light: Reflections from the International Year of Light 2015
  6. Inspiring Science Education Academy 2016
  7. International Astronomical Search Collaboration
  8. Yuri’s Night
  9. Faro de Estrellas wins Light Song Contest
  10. Meetings & global events around the world for 2016
  11. Contributions to IAU Outreach Newsletter for 2016

 

0) From the Editors

On 9 March a total solar eclipse will be visible from Indonesia. If you’re travelling to see the eclipse why not give some of your time, and volunteer to support astronomy workshops within the local educational community? Check out our Astronomy Volunteer Outreach Program and learn how you can participate.

In this issue, take a look at the book, Inspired by Light: Reflections from the International Year of Light 2015. Start preparing for your Yuri’s Night event. Don’t miss the opportunity to refresh your teaching by accessing the training offered by the Inspire Science Education Academy.

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

 

1) 2016 Indonesia Total Solar Eclipse Astronomy Volunteer Outreach Program

Spend some of your time volunteering for astronomy outreach and education. On 9 March a total solar eclipse will be visible from Indonesia, an event that will attract many astronomers: professional, amateurs and educators. Many remote villages and schools will be close to the path of the eclipse, where the access to science education and outreach is scarce. Our office, in collaboration with the Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space, is implementing the Astronomy Outreach Volunteer Program for the 2016 Total Solar Eclipse in Indonesia, which will help volunteers to visit local school children to conduct astronomy workshops.

Learn more about the programme here: http://gerhana.langitselatan.com/en/iauoutreach/

 

2) Beyond Cosmic Light: Dark Sky Meter app

During 2015, the Dark Sky Meter app supported the understanding of our dark skies and their preservation for future generations, allowing users around the world to optimise their participation in citizen science programmes. This special project was supported by the IAU, and iPhone users were able to download this app for free, attracting around 3500 installations during the International Year of Light 2015.

You can still find the app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dark-sky-meter-iyl15/id626796278?mt=8

 

3) IAU National Outreach Contact Corner: News from Japan

The Japanese closing ceremony of the International Year of Light 2015 — Cosmic Light was held on 11 January, at the Tokyo University of Science, co-hosted by the Japanese Society for Education and Popularization of Astronomy (JSEPA) and our office. This overview symposium brought together nearly 40 groups and different activities, and almost a hundred participants summarised the Japanese IYL2015 efforts in astronomy on education and new nationwide outreach initiatives. On the IYL-Japan site, the number of Cosmic Light related events reached almost half of the total number registered, showing the high level of activity among Japanese astronomers.

Learn more about the ceremony here: http://bit.ly/20JWTdY

 

4) Inspired by Light: Reflections from the International Year of Light 2015

A very significant activity of IYL2015 has been providing various forums for members of the different communities participating in IYL2015 activities to be able to share their different perspectives, both with each other, but also with the wider public. To this end, a cornerstone action of IYL2015 has been the IYL2015 Blog. Inspired by Light: Reflections from the International Year of Light 2015, is a collection of 56 of these blog posts by researchers, industry professionals, students, NGO representatives, a Nobel laureate, and other authors from 24 countries that were published during 2015.

You can download the book here: http://bit.ly/1OZD9xQ

 

5) Inspiring Science Education Academy 2016

The aim of the Inspiring Science Education International Summer Academy is to support the modernisation of science education and training. Teachers have the chance to become familiar with a unique collection of open digital educational resources, and they will also be trained to link them with innovative pedagogical practices. The training session will be held in Attica, Greece, from 3 to 15 July.

For more information go to: http://ise.ea.gr/

 

6) International Astronomical Search Collaboration

The International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) is an educational outreach programme for high schools and colleges. It provides high-quality astronomical data to students around the world. Students can make original astronomical discoveries and participate in hands-on astronomy. This service is provided at no cost to the participating schools. If your school would like to participate in an IASC search campaign contact the programme via iascsearch@hsutx.edu.

Learn more about the programme and the campaigns scheduled for 2016 here: http://iasc.hsutx.edu/

 

7) Yuri’s Night

Yuri’s Night is a global celebration of the history of space exploration. Yuri’s Night parties and events are held around the world every April in commemoration of Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering mission into space on 12 April 1961, and the inaugural launch of the first Space Shuttle on 12 April 1981. Yuri’s Night events combine space-themed partying with education and outreach. Anyone can start a Yuri’s Night event, and it’s entirely free.

Learn more about Yuri's Night: https://yurisnight.net/

 

8) Faro de Estrellas wins the Light Song Contest

The lyrics of Faro de Estrellas, written by Sandra von Borries in Spanish, have won the musical–literary competition Light Song Contest, which was open to songwriters and poets inspired by light in all its contexts, poetic, literary, technological, spiritual and scientific, for the International Year of Light 2015.

You can hear the song here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV6s6URjl34, and learn more about the contest here https://lightsongcontest.wordpress.com/.

 

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) Yuri’s Night
Date: April 2016
Location: All around the world
More information: https://yurisnight.net/

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

d) 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/

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

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

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

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

i) 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

j) 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

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

l) International Astronomical Youth Camp (IAYC)
Date: 24 July – 13 August
Location: Exmoor National Park, Somerset, UK
More Information: http://www.iayc.org/

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

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

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

q) 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/

r) 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/

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

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

u) 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.