Planning for US IYA2009

Planning for US IYA2009

Planning for US IYA2009

Susana DeustuaAmerican Astronomical Society

Co-chair US IYA Program Committee

Susana DeustuaAmerican Astronomical Society

Co-chair US IYA Program Committee

American Astronomical Society

American Astronomical Society

,individual members, ~1,000 foreign affiliate members.

• Founded in 1899• Publishes ApJ, ApJ Supp, ApJ Letters, AJ, BAAS• Activities

– 5 Divisions: Solar Physics, Dynamical Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, High Energy Astrophysics, Historical Astronomy

– Meetings: two/year, plus Divisional mtgs. – Public Policy– Education

• Member society of the American Institute of Physics (APS, AAPT, AGU)

,individual members, ~1,000 foreign affiliate members.

• Founded in 1899• Publishes ApJ, ApJ Supp, ApJ Letters, AJ, BAAS• Activities

– 5 Divisions: Solar Physics, Dynamical Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, High Energy Astrophysics, Historical Astronomy

– Meetings: two/year, plus Divisional mtgs. – Public Policy– Education

• Member society of the American Institute of Physics (APS, AAPT, AGU)

The US Astronomy Community: GROUND

The US Astronomy Community: GROUND

• Ground-based astronomy primarily funded by the National Science Foundation, other gov’t agencies and private sources

• National Observatories (NOAO, NRAO, NSO, NAIC)• International Facilities (Gemini, SOAR)• Private observatories (McDonald, Keck, Las

Campanas, HET, CfA)– TSIP

• Future Facilities– Near Term ALMA– Medium Term LSST– Long Term GSMT/T

• Ground-based astronomy primarily funded by the National Science Foundation, other gov’t agencies and private sources

• National Observatories (NOAO, NRAO, NSO, NAIC)• International Facilities (Gemini, SOAR)• Private observatories (McDonald, Keck, Las

Campanas, HET, CfA)– TSIP

• Future Facilities– Near Term ALMA– Medium Term LSST– Long Term GSMT/T

The US Astronomy Community: SPACEThe US Astronomy

Community: SPACE• Space-based facilities funded by NASA• Great Observatories: HST, Spitzer, Chandra• Medium to Large Missions: Navigator, New

Horizons, WMAP, SWIFT, HETE, FUSE• Small to Medium: RHESSI, sub-orbital payloads• Future:

– Near Term: SOFIA, Herschel, Planck– Medium Term: JWST– Long Term: JDEM, LISA, SIM

• Space-based facilities funded by NASA• Great Observatories: HST, Spitzer, Chandra• Medium to Large Missions: Navigator, New

Horizons, WMAP, SWIFT, HETE, FUSE• Small to Medium: RHESSI, sub-orbital payloads• Future:

– Near Term: SOFIA, Herschel, Planck– Medium Term: JWST– Long Term: JDEM, LISA, SIM

The US Astronomy Community: Amateurs

The US Astronomy Community: Amateurs

• Robust amateur-astronomy community ~400,000 backyard astronomers~750 astronomy clubs

• Astronomical League• AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers)

• ALPO (Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers)

• ASP (Astronomical Society of the Pacific)

• IOTA (International Occultation Timing Association)

• SAS (Society for Astronomical Sciences)

• Etc.

• Robust amateur-astronomy community ~400,000 backyard astronomers~750 astronomy clubs

• Astronomical League• AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers)

• ALPO (Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers)

• ASP (Astronomical Society of the Pacific)

• IOTA (International Occultation Timing Association)

• SAS (Society for Astronomical Sciences)

• Etc.

Vibrant Education and Public Outreach in Astronomy


• National Observatories (visitor centers, teacher programs, press releases…)

• NASA Centers (teacher programs, web, press releases, curriculum materials, etc.)

• Private Observatories (McDonald most active (StarDate); Hawai’i ramping up with Imiloa)

• Professional Societies: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, AAVSO, AAS, International Dark-Sky Association

• Astronomical League

• National Observatories (visitor centers, teacher programs, press releases…)

• NASA Centers (teacher programs, web, press releases, curriculum materials, etc.)

• Private Observatories (McDonald most active (StarDate); Hawai’i ramping up with Imiloa)

• Professional Societies: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, AAVSO, AAS, International Dark-Sky Association

• Astronomical League



• Planetariums and Science Centers (Adler, AMNH, Smithsonian, Exploratorium, Boston Museum of Science, Griffith Observatory

• National Parks (visitor centers, docent programs)

• Astronomy Clubs• Boy Scouts• Girl Scouts• After-school programs

• Planetariums and Science Centers (Adler, AMNH, Smithsonian, Exploratorium, Boston Museum of Science, Griffith Observatory

• National Parks (visitor centers, docent programs)

• Astronomy Clubs• Boy Scouts• Girl Scouts• After-school programs

Coordinating IYA 2009 in the U.S.

Coordinating IYA 2009 in the U.S.

• Program Committee– Develop themes and activities to support IYA goals– Appreciation of astronomy’s rich scientific and

cultural role throughout human history– 15 members from leading organizations that engage

in astronomy education and public outreach in the United States, plus liaisons to Canada and Mexico

– Co-chairs Doug Isbell & Susana Deustua

• Development Committee– Secure funding and resources to implement IYA

activities– 10 members from academia, industry, organizations– Chair Peter Stockman

• Program Committee– Develop themes and activities to support IYA goals– Appreciation of astronomy’s rich scientific and

cultural role throughout human history– 15 members from leading organizations that engage

in astronomy education and public outreach in the United States, plus liaisons to Canada and Mexico

– Co-chairs Doug Isbell & Susana Deustua

• Development Committee– Secure funding and resources to implement IYA

activities– 10 members from academia, industry, organizations– Chair Peter Stockman

Schedule of US IYA ActivitiesSchedule of US IYA Activities

• Planning Meetings– Washington, DC, early May, 2007– AAS Meeting in Honolulu, HI, May 2007– ASP meeting in Chicago, IL, September 7-8– AAS Meeting in Austin, TX, January 2008 - First PR

event

• Proposals to Gov’t agencies• Proposals to private foundations, companies

• Planning Meetings– Washington, DC, early May, 2007– AAS Meeting in Honolulu, HI, May 2007– ASP meeting in Chicago, IL, September 7-8– AAS Meeting in Austin, TX, January 2008 - First PR

event

• Proposals to Gov’t agencies• Proposals to private foundations, companies

US IYA 2009Goals , Themes, ActivitiesUS IYA 2009Goals , Themes, Activities

Doug Isbell• Co-Chair, US Program Committee• Associate Director for Public Affairs & Educational Outreach, National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO)

[email protected]

Doug Isbell• Co-Chair, US Program Committee• Associate Director for Public Affairs & Educational Outreach, National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO)

[email protected]

GOAL for US IYA 2009

“To offer an engaging astronomy experience to every person in the country.”

Six Major US ThemesSix Major US Themes Looking Through a Telescope Dark Skies Are a Universal Resource Astronomy in Arts, Entertainment &

Storytelling Research Experience for Students,

Teachers, and Citizen-Scientists Telescope Building & Optics Challenges Sharing the Universe Through New

Technology

Looking Through a Telescope Dark Skies Are a Universal Resource Astronomy in Arts, Entertainment &

Storytelling Research Experience for Students,

Teachers, and Citizen-Scientists Telescope Building & Optics Challenges Sharing the Universe Through New

Technology

Looking Through a Telescope

Looking Through a Telescope

Star parties Sidewalk astronomy Mobile telescope vans Binocular experiences Remote telescopes (north + south) Observing with spacecraft?

> 100 million first-time viewers worldwide???

Star parties Sidewalk astronomy Mobile telescope vans Binocular experiences Remote telescopes (north + south) Observing with spacecraft?

> 100 million first-time viewers worldwide???

Dark Skies Are aUniversal Resource


GLOBE at Night 2009 - “classic” star counting and digital sky-quality meters

Coordination with Earth-orbiting satellites

Related issues: energy use, health, etc.

Efforts in individual cities Ex.: Sydney, Australia, “lights out”

GLOBE at Night 2009 - “classic” star counting and digital sky-quality meters

Coordination with Earth-orbiting satellites

Related issues: energy use, health, etc.

Efforts in individual cities Ex.: Sydney, Australia, “lights out”

Arts, Entertainment& Storytelling

Arts, Entertainment& Storytelling

DocumentariesHollywood productions (TV,

movies)Marketing opportunitiesNative culturesPublic lecturesGalileo impersonators!

DocumentariesHollywood productions (TV,

movies)Marketing opportunitiesNative culturesPublic lecturesGalileo impersonators!

Research Experiences for Students, Teachers, and

Citizen-Scientists

Research Experiences for Students, Teachers, and

Citizen-ScientistsObserving at telescopesRemote observing & image

processingData mining Work with members of NASA/ESA

science teams (Spitzer under way)Coordinated ground-space-amateur

observing?

Observing at telescopesRemote observing & image

processingData mining Work with members of NASA/ESA

science teams (Spitzer under way)Coordinated ground-space-amateur

observing?

Telescope Building &Optics Challenges


“Telescope amnesty”A new telescope kit? ($5-10 each x

1 million copies?)Hands-On OpticsContests & Science Festivals Internships with big telescope

projects?

“Telescope amnesty”A new telescope kit? ($5-10 each x

1 million copies?)Hands-On OpticsContests & Science Festivals Internships with big telescope

projects?

Sharing the UniverseThrough New Technology


Planetaria Science Centers Blogging and Podcasting YouTube -type portals for self-made

videos (contests?) Videoconferencing RSS news feed Real-time Web counter of IYA

participation?

Planetaria Science Centers Blogging and Podcasting YouTube -type portals for self-made

videos (contests?) Videoconferencing RSS news feed Real-time Web counter of IYA

participation?

US IYA 2009 ProgramUS IYA 2009 Program◊ Each theme supported by 1-3 working

groups of 6-8 people each (professional and amateur)

◊ Supported by Web portal @ AAS◊ Kick-off event at National Air & Space

Museum?

◊ Each theme supported by 1-3 working groups of 6-8 people each (professional and amateur)

◊ Supported by Web portal @ AAS◊ Kick-off event at National Air & Space

Museum?

2 0 0 9Sky Events and

Related Opportunities

Rick FienbergEditor in Chief, Sky & Telescope

Member, AAS Program Committeefor the International Year of Astronomy

[email protected]

Looking Through a TelescopeLooking Through a Telescope

Astronomy is experiential —anyone can see what Galileo saw.So let’s give everyone a chance

to look through a telescope!

Schedule sidewalk astronomy events onweekends closest to first-quarter Moon

2009Jan 4 (Sun), Feb 2 (Mon), Mar 4 (Wed), Apr 2 (Thu),

May 1 (Fri), May 31 (Sun) - “blue Moon”Jun 29 (Mon), Jul 28 (Tue), Aug 27 (Thu),

Sep 26 (Sat), Oct 26 (Mon), Nov 24 (Tue), Dec 24 (Thu)

Some Other Sky Events in 2009

• Mercury best in evening sky: April 26, near crescent Moon• Venus best in evening sky: mid-January, then sinks down• Mars opposition: Jan. 29, 2010 @ 14 arcsec, not good in ’09• Saturn opposition: March 8, ring-plane crossing Sept. 4

• Perseid meteors: mid-August (ruined by moonlight)• Leonid meteors: mid-November (dark sky)• Geminid meteors: mid-December (dark sky)

• Partial lunar eclipse: December 31 (last night of IYA!); visible almost exclusively in the Eastern Hemisphere

Jupiter and the Galilean Satellites

• Opposition Friday-Saturday, August 14-15• Coincides with end of IAU GA in Rio de Janiero• Jupiter and Neptune barely 3 degrees apart

Bonus! Jupiter and Neptune fit together in a low-power eyepiece field 3 times!

• late May (morning sky)• early July (late evening/early morning sky)• late December (evening sky)

Longest Total Solar Eclipse of the 21st Century

“First Looks” and “Telescope Amnesty”

Each IAU national node could set up a website to collect people’s comments on their IYA telescopic observations, especially reactions to “first looks”

• Set national targets (U.S. could aim for 10 million)• Fly comments on a space-astronomy mission?!

At all IYA events where amateurs set up telescopes, the public could be invited to bring their little-used scopes to get advice on repairs, improvements, and/or replacements.



Build on existing efforts, e.g.,• International Dark-Sky Association• U.S. National Park Service

GLOBE at Night draws attention to light pollution without getting into difficult political issues of safety and security raised by “lights out” events.

GLOBE at Night 2009: “Great Backyard Star Count”• Count naked-eye stars in Orion• One week observing window in March 2009• Report data to central clearinghouse

Arts, Entertainment & Storytelling

Arts, Entertainment & Storytelling

Two IYA 2009 TV productions already in the works!

400 Years of the Telescope:A Journey of Science, Technology, and Thought• Produced by Kris Koenig• Written by Don Goldsmith and David H. Levy• Companion planetarium show in development

The Quest to See Infinity:The 400th Anniversary of the Telescope• Produced by Richard Hudson and David Axelrod• Senior advisor: science historian Albert van Helden

Research Experiences for Students, Teachers, and Citizen-Scientists

Research Experiences for Students, Teachers, and Citizen-Scientists

Next eclipse begins mid-2009!(First in the Digital Age.)


Telescope Building &Optics Challenges“A Telescope in Every Pot”

Project STAR telescope kit: 16x refractor, $5 per scope!(Price could be drastically reduced with volume discount.)



All I Want for IYA 2009 Is…All I Want for IYA 2009 Is…

Documents

Planning for US IYA2009