Welcome to my regular bulletin about the 2009 International Year of Astronomy.
There are more than 60 events over the next two months. Several are listed below – and there are more at http://www.astronomy2009.org.au/. If you’re involved in an event that isn’t listed, please register your event on the Australian IYA website. Many thanks to all of you who have already registered! Information you register on international websites connected with IYA does NOT automatically flow through to the Australian website, so please make sure you register locally.
As most of you know, 2-5 April is the time for the international IYA Cornerstone project 100 Hours of Astronomy, which aims to bring astronomy to as many people as possible. Around the world, amateur astronomers will be hitting the streets to run star-gazing sessions for the public, while dozens of professional observatories – including five in Australia – will take part in an international webcast on 3-4 April. There is an associated event specifically for children: more details are below in the newsletter.
Please feel free to forward this bulletin to others with an interest in astronomy and to cut and paste from it for your own publications.
If you have any queries please contact me on iya@aao.gov.au or (02) 9372 4251.
If you have suggestions for future bulletins, or want to subscribe or unsubscribe to this bulletin, please send your request to astronomy@scienceinpublic.com: we’re using this email address just for the bulletins.
Regards,
Helen Sim
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) in Australia for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy
iya@aao.gov.au
Tel: +61-2-9372-4251
Mob: +61-419-635-905
(sent by Niall Byrne, Science in Public, on Helen’s behalf)
In this bulletin:
1. 100 Hours of Astronomy 2-5 April
2. Other events to the end of April
1. 100 Hours of Astronomy 2-5 April
100 Hours of Astronomy is a worldwide event aimed at bringing the excitement of astronomy to as many people as possible.
Here are a couple of the international events running, and the events listed on the www.astronomy2009.org.au/ website.
International
- Five Australian telescopes – CSIRO’s Parkes telescope, the Anglo-Australian Telescope, the Mount Pleasant radio telescope of the University of Tasmania, the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope, and the Australian International Gravitational Observatory – are taking part in a live 24-hour webcast running over 3 and 4 April. The schedule for this event, “Around the World in 80 Telescopes”, is now available on the 100 Hours website, www.100hoursofastronomy.org. It is subject to change, however, so check it again closer to the event.
- “Universe Awareness” (UNAWE) is an international IYA project that aims to bring the excitement of astronomy to young children. For the 100 Hours of Astronomy, UNAWE will run a project to connect astronomers and children one-to-one online. UNAWE invites astronomers, teachers and parents to sign up for the program. To get involved, first join the 100HA JUNIOR Google Group email list at http://groups.google.com/group/unawe-100h.If you are an astronomer (amateur or professional), please introduce yourself: give your name, location, languages spoken, interest in astronomy, and availability between April 2 and 5, 2009. If you are a teacher or a parent, please introduce yourself or your school by giving your name, location, age of the children you wish to involve, language spoken and what you wish to get out of this event. Please be careful not to post any personal information about children, as this is a public forum.If you have any questions about this program, please contact the organiser, Carolina Odman Carolina.odman@unawe.org.
Australian Capital Territory
- Public star-gazing with the Canberra Astronomical Society in the Commonwealth Place carpark (between Questacon and the lake) on Saturday 4 April.
- “Space at Questacon” day at the National Science and Technology Centre – Saturday 4 April.
New South Wales
- The University of New England and Northern Tablelands Astronomical Society will run public viewings out of Kirby Observatory and in local parks in Armidale, NSW on Thursday 2 April to Sunday 5 April.
- A NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service “100 Hours of Astronomy” event at Bradley’s Head, Sydney with Andy McQuie, Ray Norris and David Malin on Thursday 2 April. (Note: this event is free but requires booking. Please ring Cadman’s cottage on 02 9247 5033.)
- “Starry, Starry Night” events in NSW National Parks around the state:
- Bournda National Park on Thursday 2 April
- the South East Forest National Park, Dorrigo National Park and Kur-ing-gai Chase National Park on Friday 3 April
- Royal National Park, Mutton Bird Island Nature Reserve, Cattai National Park, Blue Mountains and Warrumbungle National Park on Saturday 4 April.
- The Sutherland Astronomical Society has astronomer Fred Watson as guest speaker on Thursday 2 April, and the 3rd International Sidewalk Astronomers Night in Cronulla on Friday 3 April.
- “Baradine Village Astrofest” – afternoon talks and night sky viewing with the Astronomical Society of Coonabarabran – will run on Friday 3 April.
- “Astronomy Outreach – IYA09: activities and resources”, a talk by Jeff Stanger with the Astronomical Society of NSW, runs on Friday 3 April.
- The “Young Starwatchers” program runs at the University of Western Sydney on Friday 3 April.
- “Coonabarabran Sidewalk Astronomy” – Saturday 4 April.
- “The Jewel Box in the Southern Cross” and a view of Saturn without its rings – stargazing at Sydney Observatory on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 April.
- “Eyes on the sky: modern astronomical telescopes”, a one-day course examining the tools of modern astronomy run by the University of Sydney’s Centre for Continuing Education, on Saturday 4 April.
Queensland
- “400 years of discovery with Galileo’s telescope” – talk and stargazing at the Runaway Bay Library, Gold Coast, Qld, on Thursday 2 April. Also, the Springbrook Observatory at the Gold Coast is running a number of activities during 2-5 April.
- A public viewing night will be held at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Brisbane, in conjunction with local astronomical societies on Saturday 4 April.
- The Great Barrier Reef Observatory will run telescope viewing on Hamilton Island on Saturday 4 April.
Victoria
- “Heavens above” stargazing with the Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society at the Briars on Friday 3 April.
- Solar viewing and Q&A session with astronomer Tanya Hill at the Melbourne Planetarium on Sunday 5 April.
Western Australia
- Sidewalk Astronomy stations will be set up along the coast from Fremantle to Mindarie on Thursday 2 April.
- “Scitech Space Pirates” will be out in force at Little Creatures brewery, Fremantle, to show landlubbers the stars on Thursday 2 April.
- “Big Scopes at the Beach” – stargazing at City Beach, Perth, on Friday 3 April.
- “Astronomical Society of WA public viewing night” at Gooseberry Hill Primary School on Saturday 4 April.
- “Saturn starkers”: astronomer Peter Birch will reveal Saturn without its rings at the Gingin Observatory on Saturday 4 April. On Sunday 5 April at the Observatory is a BYO Telescope class.
- “Big Scopes in Busselton” – stargazing at Busselton on Sunday 5 April.
Tasmania
- “Great discoveries in astronomy”, a public talk by Martin George, will be followed by stargazing with telescopes on Thursday 2 and Saturday 4 April.
2. Other events to the end of April
Other events coming up include the following. See http://www.astronomy2009.org.au/ unless otherwise directed.
National
- The “Globe at night” program running to Saturday 28 March. Participants around the world report on their night sky to foster awareness of light pollution.
Australian Capital Territory
- “Aliens, Astrobears & Bearonauts” Canberra’s Teddy bears’ picnic at Black Mountain Reserve, Canberra on Sunday 29 March.
- “Starry Night” activities for children and adults with the Canberra Astronomical Society on Earth Day, Wednesday 22 April.
New South Wales
- An astrophotography exhibition celebrating IYA will run at the Newcastle Region Library to 25 April.
- “Modern astronomy: a voyage to the planets” – a course offered by the University of Sydney’s Centre for Continuing Education, starting Tuesday 17 March and running for 10 sessions.
- Riverina astronomy lecture tour at Wagga Wagga and nearby towns from Tuesday 24 March.
- Observations from the Sydney Observatory as Sydney turns off its lights for Earth Hour on Saturday 28 March.
- “Starry, Starry Night – other worlds: planets and planetary systems” with astronomer Mark Wardle at Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park on Wednesday 1 April.
- “Our place in space: under the Southern Cross” is the theme of the National Trust of Australia (NSW) Heritage Festival from Saturday 4 to Sunday 19 April. Events at various locations.
- Learn about indigenous astronomy with NPWS ranger Les McLeod on Thursday 9 April.
- “Starry, Starry Night – astronomy in the park” at Tucki Tucki Nature Reserve on Saturday 11 April and Thursday 23 April.
- “Starry, Starry Nightwalk at Boyd River” taking in the tall trees and nocturnal animals in Kanangra National Park on Saturday 11 April.
- Astronomy webcast from Charles Sturt University on Monday 13 April.
- “Starry, Starry Night – indigenous astronomy” with the local Minjungbal people and bush tucker at New Brighton.
- “Celestial navigation and exploring the Hunter” with local astronomer George Barnes on Wednesday 15 April.
- “Beyond the Dish: an astronomical tour” four-day bus tour of NSW observatories from Thursday 16 April.
- “Starry, Starry Night” – astronomy stories of the Blue Mountains”, visit the site of the 1874 measurement of the Transit of Venus at the Woodford Academy open day on Saturday 18 April.
- “Starry, Starry Night” – looking up from down under” starts with a ‘welcome to country’ and the mythology of the local Aboriginal community followed by telescope viewing at the Bents Basin Education Centre on Saturday 18 April.
- “Starry, Starry Night” at the Bargo State Conservation Area on Saturday 18 April.
- “Saturn Fever Party Day” for children at the Sydney Observatory on Tuesday 21 April.
- “Starry, Starry Night” at Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area on Friday 24 April.
Queensland
- Night sky tour at Twinstar Guesthouse Observatory, Ballandean, on Thursday 26 March and Wednesday 22 April.
Victoria
- “Discover the night sky” every Thursday evening in March at the Melbourne Planetarium.
- “Shared sky” exhibition. This exhibition, which explores the cultural experience of the night sky over our southern continent, has opened at the Ian Potter Gallery, Melbourne.
- “8th Snake Valley astronomy camp” four nights of observation and astrophotography. Only 20 minutes from Ballarat, from Friday 27 to Tuesday 31 March.
- “Astro Tour” with virtual reality technology at Swinburne University’s school holiday program on Wednesday 8 April.
Western Australia
- “Celestial tasting – dinner, entertainment and viewing” under the stars at Lamonts – Swan Valley, WA, with Noongar community elder Noel Nannup, each night from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 March.
- Messier Marathon night of observation: an event for amateur astronomers. Saturday 28 March is the best time during IYA to view the Messier catalogue of 90 objects visible from the Southern Hemisphere. This is an overnight event at the Golden Grove Observatory, Chittering Valley, WA. More info here.
For more information about these events visit www.astronomy2009.org.au
If your event isn’t included in this listing please register it at www.astronomy2009.org.au.
3. Downloadable resources
You can download a general IYA poster, and a poster specifically for advertising the 100 Hours of Astronomy, from http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/posters/ . Other useful materials are available from http://www.astronomy2009.org/resources/.
———————————-
Helen Sim
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) in Australia for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy
Tel: +61-2-9372-4251
Mob: +61-419-635-905
(This email is sent by Niall Byrne, Science in Public, on behalf of Helen Sim. Full contact details at www.scienceinpublic.com)