1) Astronomy Translation Network - Call for support

The Astronomy Translation Network project has produced a survey with the support of Astronomers Without Borders (AWB), to collect potential worthy resources for astronomy education and outreach to be translated within the scope of the project. If you have any recommendations, we would like to ask you to participate in the survey. It takes around 6 minutes to complete. Your contribution will help to understand existing needs of resources for translation so that the project can better serve the needs of the community. Our team thanks you in advance for your support!

Find more information about the project here: http://translation.astro4dev.org 

2) Focus Meeting 14 (FM14): IAU’s role in global astronomy outreach, the latest challenges and bridging different communities

The IAU GA represents an excellent occasion to bridge astronomy research and outreach communities and to support scientists to better engage in outreach activities. Our Focus Meeting (FM14) will be held during the upcoming IAU GA in Vienna and is promoted by the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach and supported by key partners within the astronomy outreach community around the world. FM14 intends to find new innovative and effective ways to link astronomers with the astronomy outreach community, ultimately to facilitate the flow of cutting edge astronomy research to reach the general public.

Stay tuned for more information and details about the meeting here: https://www.iau.org/science/events/1338/ 

3) IAU Office of Astronomy for Development - AstroSENSE Project

AstroSENSE is an Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) project led by Dr Wanda Diaz-Merced, a blind astrophysicist and computer scientist who develops software to analyse astronomical data through sound. Additionally, the OAD also supports initiatives in the development of tactile astronomy resources, such as the 3D moon, developed by the “Touch of the Universe”. Some of the latest projects are: two scientific posters presented at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting on the sonification of extrasolar planets search, and "The AAS group on accessibility and disability (WGAD) Year One – Highlights and Data Base Access", and the unique live audio stream of the eclipse on August 21, 2017.

Find more information about the project here: http://www.astro4dev.org/oad-activities/astrosense/ 

4) National Outreach Contacts (NOCs) Corner: News from Indonesia

a) Opening Window of Opportunity for Those with Visual Impairments to Learn Astronomy 
Pictures and descriptive stories are powerful tools to create excitement and captivate people's attention. Astronomy as an observational study relies heavily on the sense of sight to grasp astronomical objects and phenomena. For those who are blind or visually impaired, many of the visual and descriptive concepts can be very difficult to understand. Simple hands-on and DIY tactile activities and resources using daily, low-cost materials were conducted by UNAWE Indonesia and Bosscha Observatory teams. The activities carried provided input on how to better develop resources to help these audiences learn about astronomical concepts.

Find more about the project here: http://bit.ly/2xaZKE5

b) Indonesian Amateur Astronomers Jamboree (JANAKA) 
The mission of the National Astronomical Club Jamboree  (JANAKA) is to share astronomical knowledge and to build relationships among astronomy hobbyists. The activities conducted aim to establish communication between astronomy clubs throughout Indonesia, and foster the spirit and motivation of the different participating clubs to advance astronomy in the region and Indonesia in general. Amateur astronomers from various clubs will engage in activities that will feature exchanging experiences about the activities of each club, star parties, general lectures on Astronomy, etc. The Jambore Nasional Klub Astronomi (Janaka) will be held in LAPAN, East Java, from 22 to 24 September 2017.

Find more about the event (in Indonesian): http://jamboreastronomi.id 

5) Slooh Makes Looking into Outer Space Free

After fourteen years of building a global telescope network and providing control of robotic telescopes located at world class observatory sites, Slooh will open up its live telescope feeds to the global public for free in furtherance of its mission to connect humanity through communal exploration of the Universe. Free Slooh Crew members have access to all live telescope feeds and shows, along with the ability to capture a limited number of photos and participate in its unique online community. 

Find more about the project here: https://slooh.com/. 

6)  Latin-American Journal of Astronomy Education (RELEA)

The 23rd issue of the Latin-American Journal of Astronomy Education (RELEA) is now available. RELEA helps to foster and consolidate the topic of astronomy education in Latin America and beyond. Original, unpublished papers are accepted, containing empirical research, theoretical essays, and reviews of interest to the field of Astronomy Education. Articles may be written in Portuguese, Spanish or English and you can find the guidelines for authors listed here (www.relea.ufscar.br). You can contact the editorial team through the following email: relea[at]ufscar.br.

Find the latest issue here: www.relea.ufscar.br (The first page is in Portuguese, but you can change to English or Spanish using the menu to your right.)

7) ALMA at School - Radio Astronomy Manual for Teachers

It will take many more generations of astronomers to reveal all the secrets of the Universe. That’s why it is so important for the future of astronomy, and for science in general, to spark the interest of children and assist teachers in guiding their learning. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) manual is designed primarily for teachers who want to expand their knowledge of radio astronomy in general and the ALMA Observatory in particular. It also contains activities that can be used in the classroom or as part of extracurricular workshops.

You can access the ALMA at School manual here: http://bit.ly/2xrndAa
And find more of ALMA publications here: http://www.almaobservatory.org/en/publications/   

8) UNESCO International Conference on “Astronomical Heritage of the Middle East”

The International Conference on “Astronomical Heritage of the Middle East” is devoted to the role of astronomy in culture and other fields of human activity and the development of these areas due to the knowledge obtained from the Universe. The conference will be held on 13-17 November in Yerevan, Armenia. UNESCO is providing grants to the participants to cover part of the expenses associated with attendance. The SOC wishes to support qualified scientists to whom only limited means of support are available, e.g., colleagues from economically less privileged countries and young scientists. The deadline for travel grant applications is 31 August.

Find more information here: http://heritage.aras.am/. 

9) Meetings & Global Events

Here you can find a list of astronomy outreach & education conferences and events around the world. Plan ahead for a year full of interesting events!

Important Dates

Astronomical Heritage of the Middle East
Deadline for Grant Applications: 31 August 2017
Dates: 13-17 November 
Location: Yerevan, Armenia
More Information: http://heritage.aras.am/

Upcoming

a) Euro-Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) Summer School for Science Communication
Date: 10-15 September 2017
Location: Naples, Italy
More information: http://www.cittadellascienza.it/emme2017/ 

b) European Planetary Science Congress 2017
Date: 17–22 September 2017
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija, Riga, Latvia
More Information: http://www.epsc2017.eu/ 

c) 3rd COSPAR Symposium
Date: 18–22 September 2017
Location: Jeju Island, South Korea, 
More information: https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/ 

d) Astronomy Museums, Visitor Centres, & Public Observatories Workshop
Date: 27-29 September 2017
Location: Leiden, the Netherlands
More information: https://www.communicatingastronomy.org/visitorexperience/  

e) World Space Week 2017
Dates: 4–10 October 2017
Location: All around the world
More Information: http://www.worldspaceweek.org/theme/ 

f) International Observe the Moon Night
Date: 28 October 2017
Location: All around the world
More Information: http://observethemoonnight.org/ 

g) East Asian Young Astronomers 2017 (EAYAM2017)
Date: November 13-17 2017
Location: Ishigaki city, Okinawa, Japan
More Information: http://www-irc.mtk.nao.ac.jp/eayam/2017/index.html 

h) Astronomical Heritage of the Middle East
Dates: 13-17 November 
Location: Yerevan, Armenia
More Information: http://heritage.aras.am/

i) .Astronomy
Date: 14-17 November 2017
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
More Information: http://dotastronomy9.saao.ac.za/ 

j) Astrobiology 2017 
Dates: 26 November - 1 December 2017
Location: Coyhaique, Chile
More Information: http://astrobiology2017.org/ 

k) Communicating Astronomy with the Public - CAP2018
Date: 24–28 March 2018
Location: Fukuoka, Japan
More Information: http://www.communicatingastronomy.org/cap2018/ 

l) 15th International Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference (PCST2018)
Date: 4–6 April 2018
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
More Information: http://www.pcst2018.org/pcst18  

m) International Planetarium Society 2018
Date: 1–6 July 2018
Location: Toulouse, France
More Information: http://www.ips-planetarium.org/page/IPS2018Toulouse  

Have we missed something? Then share your astronomy outreach and education international meetings or events with us via outreach@iau.org.

10) IAU Astronomy Outreach Newsletter in other languages

-     Translations into Serbian are available, by Dr. Liliana Gracanin from Serbia: https://twitter.com/IAU_srpski ;
-     Translations into Spanish are available by: 
             - Dr. S. Meneses-Goytia (ICG-UoP, UK): http://bit.ly/2rIqVGe;  
             - Basilio Solís-Castillo, PhD Student, Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy,
               University of Bonn: http://astronomia-para-todos.blogspot.de;
             - The Association of Amateur Astronomers from León, Nicaragua:
                http://asafile.blogspot.jp/p/blog-page_12.html;
 -     If you want to receive the Japanese newsletter translation, please subscribe to the Japanese Amateur Astronomers Association here: http://www.jaaa-astro.jp/jaaa-ml.html ;
-     Translations into Galician are available, by Agrupación Astronómica Coruñesa Ío, in Spain here: http://agrupacionio.com/gl/tag/boletin-iau    
-     You can find older issues of this newsletter in Spanish by the Astronomical Spanish Society here: http://www.sea-astronomia.es/drupal/content/newsletter-iau-noc.  

If you are interested in translating our newsletter to your language, please let us know via outreach@iau.org.