Our team would like to start by thanking everyone for their enthusiasm and dedication: the celebrations now have 2300 activities registered, in 102 countries -- on a daily basis we feel inspired by the electrifying enthusiasm of the community! We want to highlight the latest success of the Women and Girls in Astronomy with 200 events in 57 countries. To reward these inspirational efforts throughout the year, the IAU Secretariat will provide the chance for event organisers that conduct activities that innovatively celebrate Women and Girls in Astronomy with the chance of participating in the first IAU symposium on diversity and inclusion in Japan.
In this issue, we want to highlight the Open Astronomy Schools project, the Dark Skies for All call for Ambassadors and Einstein Schools new resources.
Additionally, the IAU Secretariat invites all amateur astronomers to participate in the first IAU official event bridging and strengthening pro-am collaborations in astronomy. On 13 April 2019 at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels, Belgium, the IAU will host a full-day event that will foster dialogue and exchange between the IAU and amateur astronomers.
Wishing you all clear skies and happy celebrations! Lina Canas, on behalf of the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Team
Jorge Rivero, on behalf of the IAU100 Secretariat
1) Become an IAU Dark Skies Ambassador
The IAU100 Global Project Dark Skies for All project aims to raise awareness for the preservation of quiet and dark skies and claim the right to future generations to continue to access our true night skies. The project now opens the registration for becoming one of its ambassadors. Additionally, the IAU100 is issuing a call for proposals to receive the “Turn on the Night” educational kit and encourages educators, astronomy professionals and enthusiasts around the world to apply.
To harness the vast skills in education, outreach and inspiration of astronomy educators around the globe, IAU100 is launching a call for proposals for the promotion of the Open Astronomy Schools (OAS) teacher training events. The deadline for application is February 28, 2019.
The IAU100 Endorsed projects provide extra means to achieve the IAU100 main goals and objectives. This project category is intended to provide large global projects, which satisfy the vision of IAU100, with greater international recognition and an opportunity to connect with other celebrations worldwide.
A new special prize has been announced for event organisers that conduct activities for IAU100 that innovatively celebrate Women and Girls in Astronomy. We strongly encourage the organization of activities throughout 2019, as the perfect opportunity to celebrate girls and women in astronomy.
5) Einstein Schools program new resources announced
The Einstein Schools program is taking off with over 160 schools working to become IAU-certified Einstein Schools. All participants in this program can now find more teaching resources that can be used in classrooms. For example, there are now a number of black holes’ related activities together with more resources on teaching about solar eclipses in preparation for the special ceremonies on May 29 in Principe and Brazil related to the 100th anniversary of Eddington eclipse expedition of 1919 that confirmed Einstein's Theory of General Relativity.
Finally, the project has also added three classroom-useful graphic short stories called "Tales of the Modern Astronomer". These stories were developed at the U.S. National Optical Astronomy Observatory and highlight research related to black holes that are being done today at observatories around the world.
6) IAU100 Amateur Astronomy Day Event on 13 April 2019 in Brussels
On Saturday 13 April 2019 at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels, Belgium, the International Astronomical Union will organise its first event for amateur astronomers. With an inspirational full-day event that will include NASA astronaut John Grunsfeld, renowned scientists involved in hot topics in astronomy and presentations from the amateur astronomical community. With this event, the IAU aims to further build the relationship between amateur astronomers, their organizations and the IAU. The IAU100 Secretariat hereby invites amateur astronomers to attend the event.
7) Dumbara Sky Special Project Shares Astronomy With Rural Regions in Sri Lanka
The Dumbara Sky (දුම්බර අහස) project was conducted on 9-10 February 2019 in Sri Lanka and aimed to increase science awareness and early interest the pursuit of STEM fields for school students located in rural regions of Sri Lanka.
8) Above and Beyond Exhibition visited by 13000 people in Bratislava
The IAU100 Above and Beyond travelling exhibition received thousands of visitors at the Slovak National Museum – Natural History Museum in Bratislava, Slovakia. After closing on February 3rd, the exhibition will now travel to the VIDA Science Center in Brno, Czech Republic.
Here you can find a list of astronomy outreach & education conferences and events around the world. Plan ahead for a very special year for Astronomy, full of interesting events!
b) 8th International Conference “New Perspectives in Science Education”
Dates: 21 - 22 March 2019
Location: Florence, Italy
More Information: https://conference.pixel-online.net/NPSE/
c) International Meeting of Astronomy and Astronautics
Date: 11-13 April 2019
Location: Campos dos Coytacazes, Brazil
More Information: 12imaa.eventbrite.com
d) Yuri’s Night
Date: 12 April 2019
Location: All around the world
More information: https://yurisnight.net/e)
f) IAUS 350: Laboratory Astrophysics: from Observations to Interpretation
Date: 14 – 19 April 2019
Location: Cambridge, UK
More information: http://www.astrochemistry.org.uk/IAU_S350/
g) European Week of Astronomy and Space Science
Date: 24 – 28 June 2019
Location: Lyon, France
More information: https://eas.unige.ch//EWASS/
h) Starmus Festival V: A Giant Leap
Date: 24–29 June 2019
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
More information: https://www.starmus.com/
i) Asteroid Day
Date: 30 June 2019
Location: Around the world
More Information: http://asteroidday.org/
j) 3rd Workshop on Dissemination and Education of Astronomy (WDEA III)
Dates: 2 July (Solar Eclipse), 4- 5 July 2019
Location: San Juan, Argentina
More information at http://sion.frm.utn.edu.ar/WDEAIII/
l) Global Hands-On Universe 2019
Date: 18 to 23 August 2019
Location: Observatoire de Haute Provence, France
More Information: http://handsonuniverse.org/ghou2019/
m) Astronomy Education Conference: Bridging Research & Practice
Date: 16-18 September 2019.
Location: Garching, Munich, Germany,
More Information: http://iau-dc-c1.org/astroedu-conference/
n) IAUS358: Astronomy for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion — a roadmap to action within the framework of IAU centennial anniversary
Date: 12-15 November 2019
Location: Tokyo, Japan
More information: https://iau-oao.nao.ac.jp/iaus358/
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
- Translations into Serbian are available, by Dr Liliana Gracanin from Serbia: https://twitter.com/IAU_srpski ;
- Translations into Japanese are available, carried out by Akihiko Tomita through the Astronomy Translation Network: http://bit.ly/2xlNyCR. If you want to receive the Japanese newsletter translation, please subscribe to the Japanese Amateur Astronomers Association here: http://www.jaaa-astro.jp/jaaa-ml.html, or the Japanese Society for Education and Popularization of Astronomy here: http://www.tenkyo.net/;
- Translations into Galician are available, by Martin Pawley, Agrupación Astronómica Coruñesa Ío, in Spain here: http://agrupacionio.com/gl/tag/boletin-iau
- Translations into Spanish are available by Emílio Zuniga, the Association of Amateur Astronomers from León, Nicaragua: http://asafile.blogspot.jp/p/blog-page_12.html;
- Translations into Italian are available by Eleonora Piromalli, AstronomiAmo, from Italy here: https://www.astronomiamo.it/DivulgazioneAstronomica/Newsletter-IAU/last
- Translations into Russian are available by Artem Mokhnaktin, Central Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pulkovo. You can find the latest translations of the newsletter here.
- Translations into (European) Portuguese are available, carried out by Catarina Leote, João Ferreira & Jonas Souza through the Astronomy Translation Network (ATN) Portuguese Language Group (the previous issue can be found here).
If you are interested in translating our newsletter into your language, please let us know via outreach@iau.org.
11) Contributions to the IAU Outreach Newsletter—looking forward to hearing from you in 2019
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 2019! 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 outreach@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.
