From 7-11 August, the OAO Team, as well as many IAU members, attended the Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting in Koriyama, Japan and online. In this Newsletter, you will find a recap of that incredible conference that featured a visit from Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Akishino.
We would like to highlight some incredible opportunities for amateur astronomers and citizen scientists. The Executive Committee WG Professional-Amateur Relations in Astronomy has launched a new platform, the Pro-Am Research Collaboration, to connect professional and amateur astronomers. All IAU astronomers are welcome to register their projects that might benefit from amateur participation. See below for more Opportunities for citizen scientists.
In the last month, our National Outreach Coordinators have been incredibly active. We thank them for all their hard work to bring astronomy into their communities.
May your skies be dark and quiet,
Kelly Blumenthal, on behalf of the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Team
APRIM and OAO 2023 Recap The Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM) is one of the Regional IAU Meetings held by invitation of a national astronomical society in years between General Assemblies. Their purpose, in addition to discussing specific scientific topics, is to promote contact between scientists within the regions, especially young astronomers. This year, APRIM was held in person in Koriyama, Japan, and online.
The participants were honoured by a special visit and speech from Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Akishino, who talked about her passion for astronomy that began as a young child and the importance of astronomy outreach at the Opening Ceremony. In addition, APRIM was gifted a theme song by the Japanese rock group ACIDMAN (listen to the song, Alma, here).
The conference features many events and sessions, including talks regarding astronomy outreach, education, and research. We also hosted the IAU Booth in the exhibitor hall, where we many many excited astronomers and astronomy communicators from all over the world. It was a great pleasure to meet you all!
On the last day of the conference, the OAO hosted, in collaboration with NARIT, KASI, and Langitselatan, a Satellite Session on building a legacy for your outreach activities. Though it was primarily centred around the experiences of the IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs), this session was open to everyone interested in astronomy outreach, public engagement, science communication, and public relations: in-person and online. It featured talks from our NOCs and a workshop on transforming press releases into social media content while considering institutional branding.
1) The Pro-Am Research Collaboration (PARC) Platform The Pro-Am WG wants to connect professional and amateur astronomers with the aim of promoting research collaborations, delivering workshops, and promoting and facilitating the integration of professional astronomers within amateur societies. With this goal in mind, the Pro-Am WG launched the IAU Pro-Am Research Collaboration (PARC), an initiative that promotes and facilitates professional-amateur research collaborations in astronomy. PARC aims to enhance professional astronomy research capacity through collaboration with skilled and motivated amateur astronomers.
Not only are amateur astronomers a valuable asset for astronomy research, the involvement of citizens in research collaborations can increase engagement with astronomy among educators, non-profit organisations, and industry, fomenting societal support for research activities.
The Pro-Am WG calls on all IAU members who have research projects that would benefit from collaboration with amateur astronomers to register their projects on the Pro-Am Working Group website. Each project will be reviewed by the Working Group prior to posting. Once in the PARC system, interested amateurs will be able to sign up to participate, and research teams will have the opportunity to review amateur candidates prior to engaging with them as part of the research project.
2) Join the 5th Annual Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education
The IAU Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE) is pleased to announce that registration, abstract submission, and speaker suggestions are open for the 5th Shaw–IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education (the deadline for all but registration is 26 August 2023). This fully virtual event will take place on 29 November – 1 December 2023 and is being organised by the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE), with generous funding from the Shaw Prize Foundation.
This year’s Shaw–IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education focuses on two themes: one special practical astronomy education topic and one scientific topic. The special topic is astronomy education outside the classroom, looking at how astronomy can be taught in a diverse range of environments such as science centres, planetariums and youth clubs. The scientific topic is planetary atmospheres, both in the Solar System and exoplanets and our own Earth. We encourage teachers, astronomy education researchers and those interested in building up astronomy education in the curriculum in their country or territory to participate in this workshop.
3) Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) Conference 2024
From 10-12 April 2024, the city of Zacatecas in Mexico will host the International Symposium on Public Communication of Science and Technology, which will be held jointly with the IX National Colloquium on Recreational
Science.
This event is supported by the International Network for Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST Network), the Network for the Popularization of Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean (RedPOP), and Recreación en Cadena A.C., the Mexican Network of Science Recreation. The period for submitting paper proposals is now open and will close on 23 September 2023. For more information, please visit the PCST 2024 website.
4) Registration for the International Observe the Moon Night is Now Open! Saturday, 21 October, is International Observe the Moon Night! This is a day each year that everyone on Earth is invited to observe, learn about, and honour our cultural and personal connections to the Moon. It’s a time to catch up on what’s been happening in lunar science and exploration, celebrate the Moon in arts and culture, and connect with lunar enthusiasts around the world.
You can participate in International Observe the Moon Night from wherever you are.
Attend or host a virtual or in-person event at your institution or in your community, or observe the Moon with your family, friends or on your own.
5) ELSI Science-Art Residency Project The Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) Science-Art Residency project invites one artist to collaborate with ELSI scientists. This year's theme is 'Complex Systems in Origins of Life'. The selected artist is expected to explore this theme through a collaboration with ELSI scientists and output it in the final artwork using their artistic interpretation. ELSI science-art programme focuses on collaborations between scientists and artists, with an outcome for outreach with the public. The approach puts ELSI scientists to look at their work in an artistic direction, and artists observe ELSI scientific process. This collaboration is a two-way stream between scientists and artists through dialogue and understanding. The programme could present the outcome in various ways, such as artwork, workshops or discussions.
6) Updates from the IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs) a) Egypt
The NOC Egypt Team organized a workshop entitled “Stellar Constellations” for children aged 8-15 at the NRIAG institute museum in Helwan.
The NOC Egypt Team organised four online workshops in collaboration with NASE on astronomy and culture in early July and on astrophysics in mid-July. These were hosted by NRIAG, based in Helwan, Cairo, Egypt.
In Cooperation and with the support of the OAE-Italy and Al Akhawayn University, Morocco, members of the NOC Egypt Team participated in the activities and workshops of the Mediterranean Regional STEAM Astronomy Summer School, which was held at Al Akhawayn University in the Kingdom of Morocco
b) France
The NOC France Team is organising "speed-astromeetings", an online outreach event dedicated to isolated scholars.
c) Libya
The NOC Libya, Amjed Khurwat, was recently selected for Libya’s 40 Under 40. He writes, “This recognition is a true testament to the power of passion, dedication, and the importance of promoting scientific awareness to influence positive change.” Many congratulations to Amjed for this incredible honour!
The NOC Libya used the telescope awarded by Telescopes for All (courtesy of Bresser and SSVI) to observe the Moon, Sun, and planets, demonstrating once again the power of basic telescopes for observational astronomy.
d) Palestine
Since the beginning of the year, the NOC Palestine Team has implemented three astronomical camps in which 350 young men and women participated. In addition, we held seven astronomical courses for children, in addition to three astronomical evenings in more than one Palestinian city.
e) Haiti and Benin
The NOC Teams from Haiti and Benin are working together on a NOCs Funding Scheme project that will take place in September 2023 in which they will visit primary and secondary students in 10 schools in Benin and 10 in Haiti.
7) Opportunities
a) The Australian Citizen Science Association (ACSA) Conference
#CitSciOz23 will be held at the University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, from 20-24 November 2023. Abstract submissions are now open, and the organisers want to hear about how your citizen science scicomm has inspired, impacted or influenced key stakeholders (i.e. citizen scientists, scientists, policymakers, etc.).
Inspire: Encourage inclusiveness, engagement, and motivation in citizen science.
Impact: Explore, investigate, and showcase the affects and effects of citizen science projects.
Influence: Showcase citizen science communication techniques for maximum influence.
b) The Knowledge of Many Research Award for Citizen Science
Participatory researchers from Germany are invited to nominate themselves or qualified colleagues for the new Knowledge of the Many - Research Award for Citizen Science. The closing date for nominations is 25 September at 12 noon. The award ceremony will take place on 29 November as part of their annual conference.
c) Special Issue in the Journal of Science Communication (JCOM): Public (dis)trust in science in digital media environments
Public (dis)trust in science has become a central focus of science communication (research) as the digital landscape poses intricate questions about its formation, sustainability, and vulnerability – considering, e.g., online misinformation, artificial intelligence, and algorithms. Our Special Issue aims to delve into these complexities and uncover innovative perspectives regarding the intersection of digital media environments and public trust in science. We hope to bring together diverse perspectives on both opportunities and challenges regarding public trust in science and digital media environments to make a significant impact on the scientific discourse and also provide value for science communication practitioners. The deadline for abstract submission is 30 September.
a) JAXA Academy Kids Online Summer Activities 2023
The Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) has organised a series of talks on various topics in astronomy as part of an astronomy summer school for students around the world. At the JAXA Academy website, you can watch the Space Talks, explore the summer homework (provided by JAXA and NAOJ) and learn more about the APRSAF-29 Online Stargazing Event! Don’t miss out on Space Talk Series One, written and produced by OAO Acting Director Dr Kelly Blumenthal.
b) Online VR Demonstration from The Future of Meetings and CSIRO The immersive spatial exhibition space showcases the ASKAP telescope, operated by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and features displays of information, engineering hardware, animated models and art galleries associated with ASKAP. It is accessible via VR headset, web browser (Chrome preferred) and mobile phone app. Multiple users can gather in the space at once, making it easy to interact with people worldwide and discuss ASKAP science and engineering. This space was built as part of a TFOMxCSIRO collaborative project in 2023.
c) The Open Notebook Science Journalism Masterclasses [Content in English]
These science journalism master classes are suitable for everyone, regardless of where you are in your career. The courses are free and touch on subjects from misinformation to centring people in your science stories.
d) Space Scoop: Double-Double Scoop! [Content currently in English]
Space Scoop produces articles on the latest in astronomy and space science in easy-to-understand language. Don’t miss their weekly updates, including stories from many of the world’s space agencies and ground-based observatories! Get your Double-Double Scoop of easily-accessible astronomy knowledge from these four articles: Cosmic Monsters' Growth Secret, Tracing Our Stellar Ancestors, A Rare Cosmic Magic Jug, and When Exactly Do We Celebrate Planet Birthdays?. If you would like to help Space Scoop get translated into more of the world’s languages, email them at info@unawe.org.
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.
French
Translations are thanks to the Club d'Astronomie de Tabarre (CAT), a subset of the Haitian Astronomical Society (SHA). Translations of previous Newsletters into French were thanks to the Haitian Translation Group of Astronomy and are still available on this page.
Galician
Translations are thanks to Martin Pawley of the Agrupación Astronómica Coruñesa Ío in Spain.
Italian
Translations are thanks to Eleonora Piromalli of AstronomiAmo in Italy.
Portuguese (European)
Translations are thanks to João Ferreira and Frederico Arez 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.
The Newsletter will be published on the last day of each month. For publication in the next Newsletter, please send us your suggestions by the 10th of each month. We look forward to hearing from you!
