2009, International Year of Astronomy

ASTANA. January 19. KAZINFORM The International Year of Astronomy was launched on 15 January at UNESCO. This United Nations year is a worldwide celebration of astronomy, and coincides with the 400th anniversary of Galileo?s first observations with a telescope.

As UNESCO?s Director-General, Koichiro Matsuura, pointed out at the opening ceremony, the Year will be ?an opportunity to encourage people all over the world, especially the young, to learn more about their place in the universe." It will also provide a fantastic opportunity to further our understanding of the universe and to help developing countries to strengthen their capacities in this field, particularly through international cooperation. Catherine Cesarsky, President of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), who inititated the idea for the International Year of Astronomy, this is a particularly opportune time to discover or rediscover this science. ?Extraordinary discoveries are being made in astronomy at the moment,? she said, ?and astronomers want to share these exhilarating moments with the public?. At UNESCO in Paris on 15 and 16 January, over 800 participants were already able to follow presentations ranging from history ? Mayan and Islamic astronomy ? to discoveries such as Big-Bang fossil radiation, as well as remote observations using telescopes and radio telescopes on every continent. Starting on 19 January, also at UNESCO, a Symposium on the Role of Astronomy in Society and Culture will round off this review of the science by tackling three other major themes: Astronomy in Culture and the Culture of Astronomy; Astronomy and Society; and Education in Astronomy across the Planet. Other activities will be carried out during the Year. Some will be regional, while ten ambitious projects will seek to mobilize as many countries as possible of the 136 that signed up to this Year of Astronomy. Despite limited resources, this will be ?the largest network ever created around astronomy,? said Catherine Cesarsky. From Thursday 2 April to Sunday 5 April, with the moon in its first quarter on 2 April, 100 Hours of Astronomy, will bring together many amateur astronomers as possible to observe the night sky, alongside public events, webcasts, and efforts to reduce light pollution. Another large-scale project, the Galileoscope, aims to offer millions of free telescopes that are simple, accessible, easy to assemble and to use, in order to extend the public's access to new experiences of observation and learning. Other major projects are From Earth to the Universe, Dark Skies Awareness (combating light pollution) and Universe Awareness, Kazinform cites the press center of the UNESCO.