In this Newsletter, you will find two invitations to join our IAU community. If you recently advised an exceptional PhD student, please encourage them to apply for the IAU PhD Prize and then to apply to be a Junior Member of the IAU. We strongly encourage anyone who has a PhD in astronomy (whether recently earned or otherwise) to join the IAU, and join us in our efforts to advance the science of astronomy through outreach. To learn more about our IAU membership, click here.
We are also excited to share with you the newest versions of some of our IAU Themes. These are long-form informative articles, akin to Wikipedia pages, that expand upon some common themes in our frequently asked questions.
This Newsletter, we are especially proud to share some of the hard work of our National Outreach Coordinators with regard to NameExoWorlds 2022. In addition to their outreach, they have formed National Panels that will come together to judge the name proposals from their country. We are eternally grateful for all the work our NOCs do to promote astronomy. The top entries from each Panel will be sent on to another group that will select the final names for the 20 exoworlds of this campaign. The final winners will be announced before the end of March 2023, so stay tuned!
May your skies be dark and quiet,
Kelly Blumenthal, on behalf of the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Team
1) IAU CPS Statement on Bluewalker 3
The International Astronomical Union Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference expresses concern about the recently launched prototype BlueWalker 3 satellite’s impact on astronomy. New measurements reveal that this low Earth orbiting satellite is now one of the brightest objects in the night sky, outshining all but the brightest stars. In addition, the satellite’s use of terrestrial radio frequencies poses a new challenge to radio astronomy. Read more in the IAU Press Release.
2) Reminder: PhD Prize Applications Due 15 December
Did you graduate with your PhD in astronomy between 16 December 2021 and 15 December 2022? Apply now for the IAU PhD Prize before the application closes on 15 December! This Prize celebrates the most outstanding accomplishments of recent PhD astronomers.
For more details on requirements and eligibility, see this IAU Announcement.
3) Reminder: Individual and Junior IAU Membership Applications Due 15 December
You are encouraged to apply for Individual or Junior Membership to the IAU! Applications are now being accepted for IAU membership until 15 December. For information about eligibility, please refer to the IAU Announcement.
Why should you join the IAU?
The IAU’s mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education, and development, through international cooperation. We have 9 Divisions, 38 Commissions, and 46 Working Groups, including one on Equity and Inclusion, another on Women in Astronomy, and a new Pro-Am group. We also have Offices for Development, Outreach, Education, and Young Astronomers. Links for these and for our Code of Conduct and Strategic Plan are on the IAU homepage. Join us as we strive to make astronomy a more equitable, inclusive, diverse, and sustainable field.
4) Save the Date: Second AstroEDU Conference 2023
The Astronomy Education Conference: Bridging Research & Practice will be held at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada, from 10-12 May 2023. This meeting follows the first AstroEdu conference, which was held in 2019, that brought together researchers and practitioners of astronomy education. The aim of the AstroEdu Conferences is to increase the quality, quantity, community, and impact of astronomy education research and practice.
To get updates as details become available, please visit their website.
5) IAU Themes Revamp In Progress
Since March 2022, the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach has been working on revamping the IAU Themes. These are long-form responses to frequently asked questions and function similarly to Wikipedia articles. There are 19 topics covered by the Themes, including Defining Our Place in the Cosmos, Pluto and the Developing Landscape of Our Solar System, Satellite Constellations, and more. We have recently published four revamped pages that we are delighted to share with you: Star Names The Constellations Buying Stars and Star Names Pluto and the Developing Landscape of Our Solar System
6) Updates from the IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs)
Many of our NOCs held events in support of NameExoWorlds 2022. Here’s just a sample of their efforts:
a) Haiti
John Masken Larose, member of the NOC Haiti Team, interviewed another member, Rulx Narcisse (Captain Astro). You can view the interview here.
b) Kuwait
The NOC Kuwait Team organised a two-day event at Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre to introduce NameExoWorlds 2022 and the science of exoplanets to the public, encourage them to participate, and form teams.
c) Libya
During World Space Week 2022, the NOC Libya organised, in collaboration with the Roaya Foundation, a virtual event discussing the NameExoWorlds 2022 competition.
d) Qatar
In early October, the NOC Qatar, in cooperation with local astronomical entities, organised a training session for NameExoWorlds in Arabic, in which they described the competition and how to form a team.
e) Senegal
The NOC Senegal held an online event dedicated to exoworlds: what they are, how we find them, the prospect of life on other worlds, and much more. The session also included an introduction to the NameExoWorlds 2022 competition.
Many NOCs have formed National Panels to assess the NameExoWorlds 2022 proposals submitted by members of the general public. NameExoWorlds 2022 was an opportunity for the public to compete to name an exoplanet and its host star, together known as an exoworld. The contest closed on 11 December, and now, over the next month, the National Panels have the opportunity to judge the submissions to select their top three candidates. These candidates will go on to the discoverers and members of the Executive Committee Working Group on Exoplanetary System Nomenclature, who will decide the final names for 20 exoworlds.
7) Opportunities
a) PCST Map of Courses in SciComm
Looking for a graduate or undergraduate degree programme in science communication? Perhaps you’re just looking for a certification. PCST has developed a dynamic map of training (of various sorts) in science communication. Click this link for more information.
8) Cool Resources
a) Communicating climate change from EGU Blogs
This is a personal account of how uncertainty inherent in data and the personal ethics of an individual scientist or communicator can impact the way information is perceived by an audience. Click here for a thoughtful discussion of science communication best practices.
b) Seeing Science: How to Visually Explain Complex Concepts from TheScientist Mind the Graph teamed up with researchers and graphic designers to create a platform that allows researchers to easily make their own infographics and more. Click here to learn more.
9) IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Newsletter in Non-English Languages
Our newsletter is being translated into the following languages:
Arabic
Translations are thanks to the members of the Bahrain Stargazers Astronomy Club.
Chinese (Simplified)
Translations are thanks to Dr Chen Cao, Shandong Astronomical Society (SDAS) of China.
Portuguese (European)
Translations are thanks to Catarina Leote and João Ferreira through the Astronomy Translation Network Portuguese Language Group.
Spanish
Translations are thanks to Andrea Ahumada of the Observatorio Astronómico, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, and Ileana Andruchow of the Instituto Astrofísica de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. For translations of previous Newsletters in Spanish, thanks to Emílio Zuniga of the Association of Amateur Astronomers in León, Nicaragua, click here.
If you are interested in translating the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Newsletter into your language, please email public@oao.iau.org.
10) Contribute to the IAU Astronomy Outreach Newsletter
We are always looking for material about astronomy outreach, communication and public engagement from around the world to include in our next IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Newsletter. If you have an astronomical event, job, opportunity, educational resource, or anything else that would be of interest to the astronomy outreach community, send us an email at public@oao.iau.org with more information.
Please send us your suggestions through the 4th for issue #1 and the 17th for issue #2 of each month. We look forward to hearing from you!
