A SURVEY OF ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH: A BASELINE FOR ASTRONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT

One of the most successful global outreach efforts in history was the International Year of Astronomy 2009. With the momentum created by this year long program, it was important to take the efforts to coming years. The Astronomers Without Borders organization captured the energy of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 and refocused it as an ongoing annual celebration of the Universe by organizing Global Astronomy Month, a worldwide celebration of astronomy in all its forms, every April. In 2010, the program saw professionals and amateur astronomers, educators and astronomy enthusiasts from around the globe participating together in the spirit of International Year of Astronomy 2009 and provided a global stage for established programs and a framework for partnerships. The 2011 version of the program saw much bigger participation with several global partner organizations joining in creating more than 40 global level programs throughout the month. Within a short period of two years, Global Astronomy Month has evolved to a much needed global platform after International Year of Astronomy 2009.

The International Year of Astronomy (IYA) will be celebrated in 2009 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first use of the telescope for astronomical observation. The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) in Tucson, Arizona, USA, is participating in a variety of international education activities to build awareness of the role of astronomy and optics in our modern technological society. We will outline our education plans specifically related to optics for the International Year of Astronomy. These plans include outreach activities that appeal to professional museum and classroom educators as well as the general public.

Mozambique has been proposed as a host for one of the future Square Kilometre Array stations in Southern Africa. However, Mozambique does not possess a university astronomy department and only recently has there been interest in developing one. South Africa has been funding students at the MSc and PhD level, as well as researchers. Additionally, Mozambicans with Physics degrees have been funded at the MSc level. With the advent of the International Year of Astronomy, there has been a very strong drive, from these students, to establish a successful astronomy department in Mozambique. The launch of the commemorations during the 2008 World Space Week was very successful and Mozambique is to be used to motivate similar African countries who lack funds but are still trying to take part in the International Year of Astronomy. There hare been limited resources and funding, however there is a strong will to carry this momentum into 2009 and, with this, influence the Government to introduce Astronomy into its national curriculum and at University level. Mozambique's motto for the International Year of Astronomy is “Descobre o teu Universo”.

Astronomy can lay rightful claim to being the oldest science, with its foundations dating back even further than those of mathematics. From the ancient Babylonians who observed the regular motions of Venus to medieval Islamic scholars who had the first inklings of heliocentrism, the study of the skies has fascinated humankind. But 2009 – the International Year of Astronomy – commemorates an event central to the development of Western science: Galileo Galilei's first observations with a telescope in 1609. This year also marks the 400th anniversary of Johannes Kepler's Astronomia Nova, in which he outlined his laws of planetary motion.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced its Strategic Plan on Astronomy for Development in 2009, during the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) (for 2011-2020, extended to 2021-2030). One of its main components was the creation of the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) and corresponding Regional Offices (ROADs) for implementation and coordination of its aims. The OAD was created in Cape Town, South Africa and later on ROADs were created in 11 regions. Since 2015, Armenia has hosted one of them, IAU South West Asian (SWA) IAU ROAD, later renamed South West and Central Asian (SWCA) ROAD. At present, already six countries have officially joined (Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkey), but the Office serves for a rather broad region, from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. Armenia’s geographical location and its historical role in astronomy (both for well-known archaeoastronomical heritage and the presence of the famous Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) founded by Viktor Ambartsumian in 1946) serve as a link between Europe and Eastern Partnership countries, Middle East and Asia in general. We run activities in 3 directions, Task Forces (TF): TF1 Universities and Research, TF2 Children and Schools and TF3 Public Outreach. In addition, we participate in the OAD Flagship Projects; Flagship 1: Astrotourism, Flagship 2: Astro for Mental Health, Flagship 3: Hack4Dev. We present our projects and all other accomplishments and discuss the role of our ROAD in maintaining contacts and development of astronomy in the region, as well as contacts between Europe and the Eastern Partnership countries. The most up-to-date information about the IAU SWCA ROAD is available on its webpage at http://iau-swa-road.aras.am/eng/index.php.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced its Strategic Plan on Astronomy for Development in 2009, during the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). One of its main components was the creation of the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) and corresponding Regional Offices (ROADs) for implementation and coordination of its aims. The OAD was created in Cape Town, South Africa and later on ROADs were created in 11 regions. Since 2015, Armenia hosts one of them, IAU South West Asian (SWA), later renamed to South West and Central Asian (SWCA) ROAD. At present, already 6 countries have officially joined (Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkey), but the Office serves for a rather broad region, from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. Armenia's geographical location and its historical role in astronomy (both for well-known archaeoastronomical heritage and the presence of the famous Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) founded by Viktor Ambartsumian in 1946) serve as a link between Europe and Eastern Partnership countries, Middle East and Asia in general. We run activities in 3 directions, Task Forces (TF): TF1 Universities and Research, TF2 Children and Schools and TF3 Public Outreach. We present our projects and all other accomplishments and discuss the role of our ROAD in maintaining contacts and development of astronomy in the region, as well as contacts between Europe and the Eastern Partnership countries. Most up-to-date information about the IAU SWCA ROAD is available on its webpage at http://iau-swa-road.aras.am/eng/index.php.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced its Strategic Plan on Astronomy for Development in 2009, during the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). One of its main components was the creation of the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) and corresponding Regional Offices (ROADs) for implementation and coordination of its aims. The OAD was created in Cape Town, South Africa and later on ROADs were created in 8 regions. Since 2015, Armenia hosts one of them, IAU South West Asian (SWA), later renamed to South West and Central Asian (SWCA) ROAD. At present, already 6 countries have officially joined (Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkey), but the Office serves for a rather broad region, from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. Armenia’s geographical location and its historical role in astronomy (both for well-known archaeoastronomical heritage and the presence of the famous Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) founded by Viktor Ambartsumian in 1946) serve as a link between Europe and Eastern Partnership countries, Middle East and Asia in general. We run activities in 3 directions, Task Forces (TF): TF1 Universities and Research, TF2 Children and Schools and TF3 Public Outreach. We present our projects and all other accomplishments and discuss the role of our ROAD in maintaining contacts and development of astronomy in the region, as well as contacts between Europe and the Eastern Partnership countries. Most up-to-date information about the IAU SWCA ROAD is available on its webpage at http://iau-swaroad.aras.am/eng/index.php.

The International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2007. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, together with the International Astronomical Union, are leading the celebrations under the theme ‘The universe, yours to discover’. IYA2009 marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei’s first astronomical observation through a telescope. It will be a global celebration of astronomy and its contribution to society and culture, with a strong emphasis on education, public engagement and the involvement of young people. IYA2009 is supported by 11 cornerstone projects—global programmes of activities centred on specific themes. Whether it is the support and promotion of women in astronomy, the preservation of dark-sky sites around the world, or educating and explaining the workings of the universe to the public, these projects will be the key components of the programme. In recognition of the role that this event has to play in developing nations, especially those that have neither observatories nor astronomy departments in their universities, the 11th cornerstone project is entitled ‘Developing Astronomy Globally’. In South Africa celebrations kicked off with a six-day star party at Sutherland, which culminated in the dawn of the new year 2009 at midnight on 1 January. Later in the year several other local activities will be offered by our observatories, planetaria and science centres, which will be listed on the IYA2009 website www. astronomy2009.org.za South Africa has also taken a leading role on the African continent to ensure that IYA2009 benefits as many people across Africa as possible, an objective in line with the vision of facilities such as the Southern African Large Telescope. Through programmes such as the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme and those offered by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Cape Town, South Africa already hosts research training for students from across Africa. IYA2009 is an opportunity to significantly advance collaboration in Africa in the astronomy field. IYA2009 is not just an opportunity to promote astronomy, but also to stimulate the imagination of young and old alike across the continent. We recognise that the most sustainable form of development is education, and celebrating a year of astronomy is an opportunity to stimulate curiosity in people’s minds, and to inspire them towards adopting a learning culture. The theme adopted by the numerous African countries involved in IYA2009 is thus ‘Astronomy for Education’. The year is not just going to be about appreciating the beautiful sky, but rather about what we in Africa can do with it, and how we can use this sky—this subject of astronomy—for the development of our people.

100 years of astronomical research in Romania happen almost at 400 years after Galileo Galilei first looked at the sky with one of his instruments. However, there is a background that goes back in time further and makes specialists take into account that there is some kind of “cosmic feeling” throughout the Romanian culture. All contributes to a high level of public interest, be it students or general audience. In order to measure that we take into consideration the most important astronomical events organized at national level: Eclipse ’99, Life in the Universe, Venus 2004, and EuroPlaNet. All experience gained at national level makes possible participation at international meetings and give a high impulse of rehabilitation of science journalism where CAP2007 is the most recent example. Our work takes into account also educational projects and what we have learnt for celebrating the upcoming International Year of Astronomy

In 1609, as Galileo pointed the sky with a telescope, he observed Jupiter's satellites and changed our vision of the universe. Four hundred years later, we celebrate this event all over the world, and also in the Canaries. 2009, the International Year of Astronomy, is a very special year for the Science and Cosmos Museum (Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos). This was the first museum in Spain supported by a public entity, The Local Government of Tenerife (Cabildo de Tenerife), through its Autonomous Council of Museums (Organismo Autónomo de Museos y Centros), and a research centre, the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. Fifteen years later, this museum, which receives 50,000 visitors a year, celebrates the International Year of Astronomy with fifty projects described in this paper.

The Spanish Astronomical Society, SEA in the Spanish acronym of “Sociedad Española de Astronomía”, is one of the many institutions contributing to the large number of activities coordinated by the Spanish node of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA-2009). In this paper I describe the activities programmed with a large participation of members of the Society.

This is an International Year of Astronomy (IYA 2009) when we pay great attention to astronomy education. The International Year of Astronomy is a year-long celebration of astronomy, taking place in 2009 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observations with a telescope by Galileo Galilei. Author presents a modern approach to teaching astronomy and planetary sciences, centered on visual images and simulations of planetary objects. The basic idea is to take the students to other celestial objects as tourists, and to teach science through the observations of various natural phenomena in these new environments. The power of scientific visualization, through still and dynamic images, makes such a journey an exciting learning experience. The introduction of new technologies (3D animations, virtual reality) greatly enhances the visualization capabilities the teacher can use, allowing him to simulate actual flights over the terrain of other planets and to study them as if observing from a spaceship in orbit. The present article focuses on the study of the Moon, planets, asteroids and Galaxies by means of observations, interpretations, and comparison to planet Earth. Students learn to recognize geological and atmospheric processes, discuss astronomic phenomena, celestial bodies and discover that the same basic physical laws govern all objects in the Solar system and Universe. Key words: interactive learning, astronomy, telescope, astronomy education, scientific visualization, virtual reality (VR).

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) was conceived to honor the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei in 1609, and has evolved into an engaging series of worldwide programs. IYA2009 is sponsored by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and endorsed by the U.S. House of Representatives, UNESCO, and the United Nations. During this year, we are making great efforts to stimulate worldwide interest in astronomy and science, especially among young people and underserved populations. More than 145 countries and three dozen agencies are participating in this global effort, with the United States taking command of three large cornerstone projects described in this article, assisted by funding from the National Science Foundation and leadership from the American Astronomical Society and NASA.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) launched 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) under the theme, The Universe, Yours to Discover. IYA2009 marked the 400th anniversary of the first astronomical observation through a telescope by Galileo Galilei. It has been, and still is, a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, with a strong emphasis on education, public engagement and the involvement of young people, with events at national, regional and global levels throughout the whole of 2009. UNESCO endorsed IYA2009 and the United Nations proclaimed the year 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy on 20 December 2007. These proceedings aim to give a brief account of IYA2009, from its inception to the present and how its legacy will influence the future of astronomy communication on a planet-wide scale.

The preparation for The International Year of Astronomy 2009 stirred our interest in preparing star parties in Mexico. The lunar eclipse of February 20th 2008 was the perfect event for the first massive observation in Mexico City that attracted over 25,000 people. To accompany this event there were additional attractions: a massive astronomical lecture, more than 100 telescopes were set up for people to watch the sky, exhibits of astronomical images, children hands-on projects, rock concert, dance performance, and chats with astronomers. Already in 2009 a collective program was organized to involve more than 30 sites in Mexico to hold star parties at the same time once a year. These star parties were more in the spirit of science fairs, that include lectures, astronomy exhibits, children projects, as well as concerts and other cultural displays. The scope of each one of them depended on the local support from volunteers and from the local authorities. After the International Year of Astronomy the group that organized these star parties decided to continue its activities. The main attraction in these fairs has been the opportunity to see the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn (if observable) through a telescope. For this program the presence of the amateur astronomers has been crucial. They have brought their instruments to the sites and have generously taught the public how to look through the telescopes and pointed out to the interesting features on the sky.