Happy new year to you all! We are ecstatic that many of our programmes from last year will continue on into the new year. In the coming months we will open up applications for the IAU Outreach Visitor Program and the Telescopes for All programme. Our visitors programme welcomes individuals into our office to help support or produce new projects within the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO). The Telescopes for All programme, done in partnership with Sterren Schitteren Voor Iedereen (SSVI, Stars Shine for Everyone), sends telescopes to groups or individuals bringing astronomy to underserved groups. We receive many emails asking when these will open for 2021 — soon, we promise — so we know many of you are equally as excited for these programmes as we are.
We’re also excited to continue our Meet the IAU Astronomers! programme, which allows teachers, informal educators, and amateur astronomy groups to host an astronomer for a presentation. When we opened enrolment in the programme for astronomers, we were flooded with applicants. These IAU members are incredibly enthusiastic about speaking with different groups about astronomy, so if your group is interested in bringing one of our members to virtually visit with your group, please fill out the form here or email meet.astronomers@oao.iau.org.
Also ongoing, Inspiring Stars, our longstanding project to support inclusive outreach practices among outreach practitioners in partnership with the IAU Working Group on Astronomy for Equity and Inclusion, will continue to provide resources on accessibility for organisers to use for their events as well as support in implementing the Inspiring Stars travelling exhibit.
The Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal (CAPjournal) has two issues planned for the next year, including a special edition on astronomy communication through restrictions due to COVID-19. This is also the year for the Communicating Astronomy with the Public Conference (CAP Conference). We have further updates on both soon.
Additional ongoing programming will be supported by specific events throughout the year. The first of these events will celebrate women and girls in astronomy. From 11 February, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, through 8 March, International Women’s Day, we’ll be holding programmes to recognise the role of women in advancing science and encouraging girls to consider careers in astronomy. Our office internationally and our National Outreach Coordinators at the national level will be holding events throughout that time span. We’ll have more information available shortly.
Then we’ll be sharing the importance of dark and quiet skies around the UNESCO International Day of Light on 16 May, our partner programme. We’re aiming to promote scientific thinking and raise awareness on the importance of the dark skies for everyone. Stay tuned for more info on this. Throughout the year, we also encourage you to participate in the Globe At Night, a citizen science campaign to log the visibility of different constellations to track light pollution, and we’ll send reminders on our Facebook and Twitter.
This year we’re bringing back 100 Hours of Astronomy. From 1-4 October, we will be celebrating astronomy non-stop, and we encourage any group interested in astronomy to join us during this event. We hope this event will enable as many people as possible to engage with the sky and learn a basic understanding of the universe.
Finally, we are always looking to grow our NOC network. If you create national astronomy events for the public and we don’t have a NOC for your country, please apply. More information is here
Wishing you good health and all the best in the new year! Izumi Hansen & Lina Canas, on behalf of the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) Team
1) IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach 2021 Programme Information
The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (IAU OAO) has released the 2021 brochure. The brochure highlights the programmes from the office for the upcoming year.
The business meetings for the XXXIth General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are set to go forth in August 2021, tentatively from 23-26 in the afternoon CET (UTC+1). Some sessions will include the admittance of National Members and Honorary Members, the induction of new committee members and divisions presidents and vice-presidents, the election of the 2021-2024 Executive Committee, and Resolutions.
Further information will be released following the IAU Executive Committee meeting in April. IAU members have received an email with additional available details.
3) Last Call: Submit Your Abstract to the Special Edition of the CAPjournal
The Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal (CAPjournal) currently welcomes abstracts for the special issue "Astronomy Communication in a Time of Confinement". Submit your abstract before 18 January for consideration in the issue.
4) IAU Publishes “Springboard to Action” on Equity, Inclusion and Diversity in Astronomy
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has released recommendations for improving diversity, equity and inclusion in astronomy with the document “Springboard to Action”. The recommendations build on discussions from IAU Symposium 358 “Astronomy for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion — a roadmap to action within the framework of the IAU centennial anniversary”.
The report from the "Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society" workshop is now online. The report describes how human activity has affected the state of astronomical research and provides recommendations for actions by local governments to preserve dark and quiet skies. It will be presented to the UN in February 2021.
6) NOC News: 1st Space Science and Astronomy Competition in Sierra Leone
Our National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) for Sierra Leone, Alimamy Conteh, is organising the first meeting to create a “space community” for student and young professionals interested in astronomy and space in Sierra Leone. The meeting will take place from 21-22 January. They are also fundraising to support the meeting.
Thank you to Alimamy Conteh for sharing this news item with us
7) NOC News: Arabic Translation of International-Dark Sky Brochures
Our National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) for Bahrain, Myriam Alqassab, and members of the Bahrain Stargazers Astronomy Club have translated brochures about dark skies from the International Dark-Sky Association into Arabic. These brochures are available for free on the Bahrain Stargazers website.
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/).
If you are interested in translating the IAU Outreach Newsletter into your language, please email public@oao.iau.org.
11) Contributions to the IAU Outreach Newsletter—looking forward to hearing from you in 2020
Here at the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach, we’re always looking for news about astronomical education and outreach events around the world. Please continue to share your stories with us in 2020! If you are organising 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 public@oao.iau.org.
You can send us your suggestions until the 4th (for issue #1) and the 17th (for issue #2) day of each month. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
