The 100 Years Under One Sky celebration IAU flagship event took place at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels (Belgium) -- the location where the IAU was founded 100 years ago. The event gathered professionals and amateurs alike, celebrating astronomy, together. Discussing what unites us, with Astronomy as a focal point for development, education, equity, inclusion, technology and the new road we have ahead of us in the next century -- a path that we will walk together through international cooperation. The event was also heartfelt thank you to everyone around the world involved in the celebrations, and for sharing the excitement of astronomy with their local communities and that are at the core of all actions this year.
In this issue, we want to highlight two upcoming milestones: the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the First Moon Landing and 100th Anniversary of the 1919 Solar Eclipse.
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 IAU Secretariat
1) The IAU Celebrates its Centenary
The IAU 1919–2019: 100 Years Under One Sky Celebration Flagship Ceremony took place at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels (Belgium) on 11–12 April 2019. The event was held in the location where the IAU was founded 100 years ago.
2) IAU100 event Celebrates the first IAU Amateur Astronomy Day Event in Brussels
On Saturday 13 April 2019 at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels, Belgium, the International Astronomical Union organised its first event for amateur astronomers. The event followed the IAU100 Under One Sky Flagship Event on 11-12 April.
3) Winners Announced for the IAU100 Short Story Competition
In November 2018, IAU100 launched the short story written competition “Under One Sky”. This contest aimed to stimulate creativity and imagination, by soliciting short written stories related to the themes 'Under One Sky' and 'Inspiring Stars'.
4) 50th Anniversary of the First Moon Landing -- IAU100 telescope competition
Applications are being accepted until 3 May 2019 to win a telescope that has been signed by various astronauts and the president of the IAU, Ewine van Dishoeck, that can be used to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing with the IAU100 in July 2019! Twenty telescopes are available to be won as part of the Moon Landing 50 telescope contest.
5) Celebrate Women and Girls in Astronomy for the chance to attend the first IAU Symposium on diversity and inclusion
A 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.
Explore the IAU100 projects that celebrate this special IAU100 Milestone:
Einstein Schools
With the IAU100 Einstein Schools project, schools around the world implement activities about gravity in astronomy.
Arthur Eddington Conference
This conference will be held on 27-29 May 2019 in Paris, France to highlight the legacy and impact of Arthur S. Eddington, and the expeditions to observe the eclipse of 29 May 1919.
LightSound
LightSound is a tool developed for those who are visually impaired and auditorily oriented to experience the variation of light intensity during a solar eclipse in real-time (through sound).
Centennial Celebrations in Sobral
An international event, to be attended by astronomers, physicists, historians of science, teachers, students etc., will take place in Sobral on 29 May 2019.
Eddington @ Sundy: 100 years later
This project promotes initiatives on a global scale but also has the goal of being a cornerstone to create a scientific legacy in São Tomé and Príncipe.
7) Dark Skies for All encourages activities around the International Day of Light
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.
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!
a) European Week of Astronomy and Space Science
Date: 24 – 28 June 2019
Location: Lyon, France
More information: https://eas.unige.ch//EWASS/
b) Starmus Festival V: A Giant Leap
Date: 24–29 June 2019
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
More information: https://www.starmus.com/
c) Asteroid Day
Date: 30 June 2019
Location: Around the world
More Information: http://asteroidday.org/
d) 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/
f) Astronomy Education Conference: Bridging Research & Practice
Date: 16-18 September 2019.
Location: Garching, Munich, Germany,
More Information: http://iau-dc-c1.org/astroedu-conference/
g) 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.
