2009 has been named the International Year of Astronomy. Countries around the globe are celebrating astronomy this year. 2009 was chosen as the IYA because it is the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first astronomical use of the telescope. When Galileo turned his telescope toward Jupiter, he saw its moons and that they orbited around the planet. This simple observation led to a paradigm shift as to how we saw our place in the solar system and the universe.
The Goals of the International year of Astronomy 2009
Some of the major goals of the IYA 2009 are to:
- Increase scientific awareness
- Promote widespread access to new knowledge and observing experiences
- Support and improve formal and informal science education
- Provide a modern image of science and scientists
- Facilitate new networks and strengthen existing ones
- Facilitate the preservation and protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage of dark skies in places such as urban oases, national parks and astronomical sites
How the IYA Message Is Being Delivered
The theme of the IYA 2009 is "The Universe, Yours to Discover". One of the projects undertaken by those involved is to alert people of the celebration and get them to stop and think about the world outside themselves. For example, in Toronto, a campaign consisting of putting ads on public transit will draw attention to the IYA. One of the ads highlights the fact that our days are getting longer thanks to tides caused by the Moon, while another points out that a small fraction of the television static is actually caused by the afterglow from the origin of the universe, otherwise known as the "Big Bang."
"The cosmos is not something that's untouchable or far away," says campaign organizer Ray Jayawardhana, Canada Research Chair in Observational Astrophysics and associate professor at the University of Toronto. "It's all around us, and we're intimately connected to it. So we want to remind people about those connections as we kick off the International Year of Astronomy. We're trying to bring astronomy into the daily conversation, to foster science as an integral part of human culture."
More Information on the IYA Found Online
Besides seeking out events near you, sharing information with friends and family about the IYA, and working to cut light pollution where you live, you can look online for more ways to celebrate. The Cosmic Diary is one example of a global activity occurring online. The project revolves around the daily lives of full-time astronomers. More than 50 bloggers, professionals from over 35 countries and employed by organizations such as ESO, NASA, ESA and JAXA are writing about their lives, the work they conduct, and the challenges they face. People around the world can get a look at what being an astronomer is like and how ground-breaking research is conducted.
For more information, visit the official IYA 2009 website.
Kelly Whitt - I have been a professional writer for more than a decade, covering many topics from science-based articles to do-it-yourself home ...
