The IAU is looking for an International Coordinator for its 100-year celebrations. Don’t miss this chance to come and work at Leiden University. Deadline is July 30, 2017.
The long-awaited August total solar eclipse on the 21st is gathering attention all over the world. The programs for eclipse observation along the path of totality are all getting ready—from local outreach and education institutions to nationwide and international associations, such as Astronomers Without Borders, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and the American Astronomical Society (“Find an Event” feature for the eclipse).
In this issue, we highlight the call for participants in the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast, plan for the Day of Light to happen in 2018 for the first time, as a legacy of the 2015 International Year of Light and Red Dots long-awaited continuation is here.
Happy reading and clear skies!
The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach team
1) IAU General Assembly Focus Meeting 15: Astronomy for Development
The IAU Office of Astronomy for Development has launched its web page Focus Meeting 15: Astronomy for Development. The meeting will take place during the IAU General Assembly (GA), from 20-31 August 2018, in Vienna). The team will keep this page updated with the latest information regarding this Focus Meeting, including the dates and schedule and the various topics for discussion, such as the Synergies between IAU structures, evidence-informed project design, evaluating the impact of projects and much more.
2) National Outreach Contact (NOC) Corner: News from the USA
a) The South Carolina State Museum in Columbia - activities for Eclipse August 2017
In 2014, the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, USA, opened a new planetarium and observatory. Since its opening, 175,000 museum guests have visited the observatory. The education programs include public viewing evenings one night a week. Thanks to continued funding support, the museum is preparing to launch an expanded outreach program targeting rural and underserved South Carolina schools. Columbia is located in the path of totality of the 21 August 2017 solar eclipse, and the South Carolina State Museum is a key player in local and regional preparations.
b) Sixteenth Annual Georgia Regional Astronomers Meeting (GRAM)
Astronomers (professional with grad students, postdocs and undergraduates as well as amateurs) will gather on October 27–28 2017 for the upcoming Sixteenth Annual Georgia Regional Astronomers Meeting hosted by the Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Georgia, Athens (UGA). GRAM will feature presentations and 15- to 30-minute talks on the community's research or educational activities. The event will begin with an informal presentation and view through the UGA 24-inch Fecker telescope.
3) Red Dots: The Live Search for Terrestrial Planets around Proxima Centauri Continues
The team behind the Pale Red Dot campaign, who last year discovered a planet around the closest star to our Sun, are resuming their search for Earth-like planets and launching another initiative. The Red Dots campaign will follow the astronomers as they use ESO’s exoplanet hunter to look for planets around some of our nearest stellar neighbours: Proxima Centauri, Barnard's Star, and Ross 154. ESO is joining this Open Notebook Science experiment — real science presented in real time — that will give the public and the scientific community access to observational data from Proxima Centauri as the campaign unfolds.
4) Eclipse STEM Education Program: Building on the Eclipse Experience
Now is the perfect time for educators to seize this special moment and leverage the fleeting spectacle of the great American eclipse to plant seeds of wonderment about the connections between nature and science. In collaboration with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) will provide a unique educational resource package that includes lesson plans developed and created by professional science educators. This program particularly seeks educational institutions and groups in underserved communities at a first stage within the USA and planning on being, later on, implemented around the world.
5) Planning Begins for First International Day of Light on 16 May 2018
Following the highly successful International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies in 2015, the Executive Board of UNESCO has endorsed an annual International Day of Light. The International Day of Light will be proclaimed at the General Conference of UNESCO in November 2017, and the first celebration will take place on 16 May 2018. Plan ahead: if you want to stay updated, consider subscribing to the newsletter to receive the latest news about the International Day of Light.
Comic books are an excellent way to captivate children and grownups alike—and adding astronomy to the equation results in a great mix! In astronomy outreach, you can find many great examples of educational materials. “Robotic Telescopes: How to find cool stuff in space” and "There is no such thing as a stupid question" are among a series of comic books about exploring space, being a scientist, and using robotic telescopes, from Las Cumbres Observatory. “All U need is Space” is another example, produced by the European Commission and translated into many European languages. Last but not least, SKA’s “The Adventures Of The SKAnimals” or "Mission MeerKAT". And these are only a few examples the community has brought to our attention. What are your favourite astronomy-related comic books? Share them with us through outreach@iau.org.
7) The Story of Space 2017—Crowdfunding campaign
The Story of Space 2017 is a public festival that explores the physics, philosophy, politics, and perception of space, and the intersections of these themes. The festival engages artists, scientists, educators, and philosophers in creating informal learning experiences for all ages and will take place from 10 to 19 November 2017 across multiple locations in Panjim city, Goa. The festival is free for all to attend. In its essence, the project is a community-led service, inviting and accessible. To make sure the festival remains free, the organisation is currently running a crowdfunding campaign.
Astronomy continues to fascinate audiences around the world. 365 Days of Astronomy invites you to share your astronomy knowledge and experience the public. Since 2009, the 365 Days Of Astronomy has been delivering daily podcasts discussing various topics in the constantly changing realm of astronomy. The diversity of the content offered is shown by the variety of contributors’ podcasts, including those devoted to the latest news, observing tips, history of astronomy, and how fundamental knowledge of astronomy has changed our paradigms of the world. All these stories need to be told, and this is your chance to take part!
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!
Recently Added
Astrobiology 2017
Dates: 26 November - 1 December 2017
Location: Coyhaique, Chile More Information: http://astrobiology2017.org/
Upcoming
a) ITCA Colloquium - Astronomy for STEM Education
Dates: 7 to 11 August 2017
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. More Information: http://www.narit.or.th/en/index.php/itca
b) Global Hands-On Universe (GHOU) Conference 2017 with the Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) International Workshop 2017
Dates: 15-21 August 2017
Location: Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, US
More Information: http://handsonuniverse.org/ghou2017/
c) 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/
d) European Planetary Science Congress 2017
Date: 17–22 September 2017
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija, Riga, Latvia
More Information: http://www.epsc2017.eu/
e) 3rd COSPAR Symposium
Date: 18–22 September 2017
Location: Jeju Island, South Korea,
More information: https://cosparhq.cnes.fr/
m) 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
If you are interested in translating our newsletter to your language, please let us know via outreach@iau.org.
11) Contributions to this newsletter - looking forward to hearing from you in 2017!
Here at the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach, we are always looking for more news about astronomical education and outreach events around the world. Please continue to share your stories with us in 2017! If you are organising 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.
