The International Year of Astronomy 2009

SAS member Mark Sykes has sent notice about The International Year of Astronomy 2009. A link to the IYA2009 web site sent by Mark produced considerable information about this United Nations sponsored event designed to commemorate the invention of the telescope by Galileo Galilei.

From the web site:

The UN declares 2009 the International Year of Astronomy

20-December-2007, Paris: Early this morning (CET) the United Nations (UN) 62nd General Assembly proclaimed 2009 the International Year of Astronomy. The Resolution was submitted by Italy, Galileo Galilei . . . . The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is an initiative of the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO.

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) celebrates the first astronomical use of the telescope by Galileo - a momentous event that initiated 400 years of astronomical discoveries and triggered a scientific revolution which profoundly affected our worldview. Now telescopes on the ground and in space explore the Universe, 24 hours a day, across all wavelengths of light. The President of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Catherine Cesarsky says: "The International Year of Astronomy 2009 gives all nations a chance to participate in this ongoing exciting scientific and technological revolution."

The IYA2009 will highlight global cooperation for peaceful purposes - the search for our cosmic origin and our common heritage which connect all citizens of planet Earth. For several millennia, astronomers have worked together across all boundaries including geographic, gender, age, culture and race, in line with the principles of the UN Charter. In that sense, astronomy is a classic example of how science can contribute towards furthering international cooperation.

For much more, visit the IYA2009 web site. Amateur astronomers who are participating in IYA2009 are encouraged to send reports of their activities to editor[at]sas[dot]org for possible publication in The Citizen Scientist

Forrest M. Mims III