1) CAP Conference Goes Virtual in 2021

The next Communicating Astronomy for the Public (CAP) Conference will be held online from 24-27 May 2021 with the theme “Communicating Astronomy with the Public in the Age of Global Crisis”. Thanks to funding from the Kavli Foundation, the conference will be free to all attendees. Deadlines to submit abstracts and grant requests for assistance to attend are fast approaching. The next in-person CAP Conference is tentatively planned for early 2022 in Sydney, Australia.

More info here: https://iau.org/news/announcements/detail/ann21007/

2) IAU OAD Releases Latest Newsletter

The IAU Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) has released its latest newsletter, with updates on their activities from October through December 2020, such as about COVID-19 mitigation efforts and activities of the regional offices.

Read it here https://cloudcape.saao.ac.za/index.php/s/jbMozGhNknwS8Vv

3) NOC News: NOC Bahrain Fundraising

Our IAU National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) Bahrain Myriam Alqassab and the astronomy club Bahrain Stargazers are fundraising for astronomy equipment for community events like stargazing meetings, seminar, and workshops in Bahrain. All the profits raised will go toward purchasing this equipment.

Learn more here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/bahrain-stargazers/

4) NOC News: NOC India Receives Award for Public Outreach in Astronomy

Our National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) for India, Samir Dhurde, has received the Zubin Kembhavi Award from the Astronomical Society of India for his work in public outreach and education in astronomy. Congratulations, Samir!

Learn more here: https://www.astron-soc.in/asi_zubin_kembhavi_award

5) NOC News: SUN Portable Science and Art Installation

Our IAU National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) UK Robert Walsh is part of the team that created SUN, a seven-metre ‘Sun’ art installation based on data from NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory. Groups interested in bringing the installation can reach out to the SUN team for more information.

Learn more here: https://seethesun.org/about

6) Project Scientist Position at the University of Leiden

The University of Leiden is looking for a project scientist to support the implementation of a Horizon 2020 project in the field of science communication in a global context.

Learn more here: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/vacancies/2021/q1/21-063-project-scientist---public-engagement-with-science

7) Submit to the Frontiers for Young Minds Journal

The unique Frontiers for Young Minds journal is accepting papers on astronomy or space sciences, either of recent research or ‘core concepts’. This unique journal invites researchers to write a public-friendly version of their recent research paper which is reviewed by students. There is no fee to submit to this open-access journal.

Learn more here: https://kids.frontiersin.org/participate/authors

Thank you to Edward Gomez for sharing this news item with us.

8) SKA Receives Intergovernmental Organisation Status

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Observatory has become an intergovernmental organisation. As only the second to be dedicated to astronomy after the European Southern Observatory (ESO), this is a major step for the astronomy community as a whole.

Learn more here: https://www.skatelescope.org/news/skao-is-born/

Thanks to Mathieu Isidro for sharing this news item with us.

9) Featured Activities Event & Online Resources Repository — COVID-19 Edition

Resources
Emirate Mars Mission Website
Learn about the Emirate Mars Mission and take a quiz about Mars
Link: https://www.emiratesmarsmission.ae/

Mars 2020 STEM Toolkit
Activities for kids about Mars and the Perseverance rover
Link: https://www.nasa.gov/stem/nextgenstem/moon_to_mars/mars2020stemtoolkit

Mars Exploration Month
Month-long celebration from Apadilangit with live and recorded presentations about Mars in Malay and English
Link: https://apadilangit.com/mars/

See the full list of online events and resources here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RgKVmO-JkuiWMV55syx3EwUS2-hnYcJ72Ks3HLKex2A/edit?usp=sharing

10) IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Newsletter in Other Languages

Our newsletter is being translated into the following languages:

Arabic: https://stargazersbh.wixsite.com/bsac/iau
Translations are thanks to the members of the Bahrain Stargazers Astronomy Club.

French: https://haitiastronomie.blogspot.com/p/bulletin-dinformationde-luai-sur.html
Translations are thanks to Rulx Narcisse of the Haitian Astronomical Society.

Galician: http://agrupacionio.com/gl/tag/boletin-iau
Translations are thanks to Martin Pawley of the Agrupación Astronómica Coruñesa Ío in Spain.

Italian: https://www.astronomiamo.it/DivulgazioneAstronomica/Newsletter-IAU/last
Translations are thanks to Eleonora Piromalli of AstronomiAmo in Italy.

Japanese: http://bit.ly/2xlNyCR
Translations are thanks to Akihiko Tomita, through the Astronomy Translation Network.
You can subscribe to the Japanese newsletter through the Japanese Amateur Astronomers Association (http://www.jaaa-astro.jp/jaaa-ml.html) or the Japanese Society for Education and Popularization of Astronomy (http://www.tenkyo.net/).

Portuguese (European): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wN1txv57CLoDbLEEwNjStBMk6CrlkTxu?usp=sharing
Translations are thanks to Catarina Leote and João Ferreira through the Astronomy Translation Network Portuguese Language Group for these translations.

Spanish: http://asafile.blogspot.jp/p/blog-page_12.html
Translations are made by Emílio Zuniga of the Association of Amateur Astronomers from León, Nicaragua.

If you are interested in translating the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Newsletter into your language, please email public@oao.iau.org.