In the past weeks, our team has been getting ready for the "You are Galileo!" workshop in Myanmar, a project NAOJ started for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. This Myanmar edition is also a collaboration with the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), where the visiting team will host dedicated observation activities and public lectures for participants from all universities in Myanmar. The IAU for the Public page on the iau.org website will undergo significant changes in the next months. It will feature news and updates on our office’s activities as well as our IAU network of National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs). Stay tuned!
In this issue we highlight the Art Space session at the upcoming European Week of Astronomy and Space Sciences (EWASS2018), ESA’s call to launch your design with CHEOPS, and our hope that you enjoy reading the latest IAU Commission C1 Education and Development of the Astronomy Newsletter.
Interesting news from our colleagues at the IAU Minor Planet Center. The recent discovery of an interstellar asteroid has led to a new series of small-body designations for interstellar objects. This object now receives the permanent designation 1I, and the name ‘Oumuamua’, of Hawaiian origin, that reflects the way this object is like a scout or messenger sent from the distant past to reach out to us.
Happy reading and clear skies!
The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach team
1) IAU Commission C1 Education and Development of the Astronomy Newsletter #86
IAU Commission C1 Newsletter #86 is now available. In this IAU publication, you can find updates from the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development, the reports on “Improving Accessibility of Astronomical Publications”, “Gaming To Learn Astronomy, An Innovative Approach, Two Study Cases”, “Where is NASA’s New Horizons Going Next?” and much more. The editors kindly ask all members of the IAU to participate by providing news or articles for the next issue.
2) National Outreach Contact (NOC) Corner: News from Mexico
a) Noche de las Estrellas (Night of the Stars)
On November 25, the organisation of one of the largest astronomy festivals in Latin America invites you to enjoy science workshops, cultural events, specialist conferences, and telescope observations in more than 90 locations throughout the country. This year, the “Noche de las Estrellas” (Night of the Stars) celebrates the 60th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, which marked the beginning of the great space adventure. Activities are free for the whole family.
3) IAU C1 Exobiology WS - Astrobiology Introductory Course’18
The third session of the Astrobiology Introductory Course will be held from 4 to 10 March 2018 at the Ornithological Reserve of le Teich (33, France). Courses are designed for students preparing their PhD thesis in Astronomy, Geology, Chemistry, Biology, or History/Philosophy of science and any students wishing to acquire interdisciplinary training in astrobiology to complete their initial training and to be able to address questions about the origins of life, its terrestrial evolution, and its distribution in the Universe. The deadline for applications is January 15th, 2018.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is offering graphic designers and artists a unique opportunity to feature their work on the rocket carrying the CHEOPS satellite. This competition is an exciting opportunity for students of graphic art or design, or early-career graphic artists and designers to make one of their designs a part of ESA history. The winner will be invited to attend the main CHEOPS launch event in Europe as a guest of ESA and to watch as their design climbs skywards.The deadline for submissions is 17:00 GMT (18:00 CET) on 31 January.
What can we learn by studying impact craters on Earth? And how can we avoid the fate of the dinosaurs? Join the live webinar with Dr Anna Losiak on 28 November 2017, 14:00 GMT / 15:00 CET to find out more about “Impact cratering – the most important geological process in our Solar System.” The webinar, organised by NUCLIO and Europlanet as a monthly webinar series with scientists around Europe, welcomes classroom and public participation.
6) Art Space at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Sciences (EWASS2018)
During the European Week of Astronomy and Space Sciences (EWASS) in Liverpool, taking place from 3 to 8 April 2018 there will be a session dedicated to “Art Space: using artistic media for outreach, cultural astronomy, and science communication in astronomy, Solar physics and space science”. The Art Space session will be hosted on April 4, 2018, and the organisation invites everyone with an interest in art, culture, and visualising data—one of the most engaging areas of science outreach—to submit a talk. Deadline for submissions is 27 November 2017.
7) Write for Astrobites and join the team for Spanish!
Astrobites is a daily astrophysical journal that graduate students in astronomy have been keeping since 2010 with the goal of presenting one paper each day. The journal is presented in a short format accessible to undergraduate students in the physical sciences who are interested in active research. Astrobites is looking for enthusiastic students who’d like to join the Spanish team. Accepting applications until November 30.
The aim of the Catch a Star programme is to encourage secondary school students around Europe to express their creativity through autonomous work, to strengthen and expand their astronomical knowledge and skills, and to help the spread of information technologies in the educational process. The Catch a Star contest is the result of a collaboration between the European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The deadline for all entries is 17:00 CET on 20 December 2017.
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
International Conference New Perspectives in Science Education
Dates: 22 - 23 March 2018
Location: Florence, Italy
More information: https://conference.pixel-online.net/NPSE/
European Week of Astronomy and Space Sciences (EWASS)
Dates: 3-8 April 2018
Location: Liverpool, UK More information: http://eas.unige.ch/EWASS2018/
Upcoming
a) Astrobiology 2017
Dates: 26 November - 1 December 2017
Location: Coyhaique, Chile More Information: http://astrobiology2017.org/
b) IFF 2017 - Immersive Film Festival
Dates: 1-3 December 2017
Location: Espinho, Portugal
More Information: http://iff.multimeios.pt/en/
c) ASP 129th Annual Meeting - STEM Outreach Conference:
“Beyond the Eclipse: Engaging Diverse and Underserved Communities in Astronomy and STEM”
Dates: 5-8 December 2017
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA
More information: http://bit.ly/2l0ibte
d) International Conference New Perspectives in Science Education
Dates: 22 - 23 March 2018
Location: Florence, Italy
More information: https://conference.pixel-online.net/NPSE/
f) European Week of Astronomy and Space Sciences (EWASS)
Dates: 3-8 April 2018
Location: Liverpool, UK More information: http://eas.unige.ch/EWASS2018/
g) 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
h) 11th International Meeting of Astronomy and Astronautics
Date: 12—14 April 2018
Location: Campos de Goytacazes, Brazil
More Information: http://bit.ly/2xP8uik
j) Robotic Telescopes, Student Research and Education (RTSRE) Conference & the InterNational Astronomy Teaching Summit
Dates: 22-27 July 2018
Location: Hilo, Hawai'i, USA
More information: rtsre.org
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
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.
