The IYA2009 in Europe at JENAM 2009 Reviews

Ian Robson1 UK Astronomy Technology Centre E-mail: [email protected]

to make the project happen. The film was given its first showing at the meeting and will be distributed to schools throughout the UK. For those interested in obtain- ing a copy, contact production team at [email protected].

In the education section, two of the IYA2009 Cornerstone projects were reviewed: UNAWE (Carolina Ödman) and the Galileo Teacher Training Program (Rosa Doran). There was lots of audience discussion on both of these topics. We also heard about

Figure 1. The four children from the Meden School and Technology College: Warsop, Nottinghamshire — Niall Evans, Joshua Cantrell, a wide range of educational activities in Chloe Johnson and Laura Simpson (left to right) alongside Bridget, Astrium’s EXOMARS Rover prototype. Benin, Spain and the UK. The highlight of the education session was organised by The European Week of Astronomy and all those involved in its organisation and Mrs Tina Sherwood, a local schoolteacher, Space Science was marked by the combi- delivery. The “behind the scenes” snippets where four 11–12 year old schoolchil- nation of the UK National Astronomy Meet- from Douglas showed what a truly profes- dren gave very impressive and assured ing (NAM) and the Joint European National sional event this was and how complex the presentations about their project work on Astronomy Meeting (JENAM), both held at organisation had been. Many thanks are archaeoastronomy. Hatfield in the UK from 20 April through 23 due to ESO for the technical support. The April. Symposium Seven was devoted to the demonstration of the Portal to the Universe, A new Cornerstone project was announced International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) a one-stop, astronomy news and products at the meeting — an autumn version of the in Europe, with outreach and education web showed what a tremendously power- 100 Hours of Astronomy. This will be held as the key themes. Contributions were ful tool this is and it is very clear that it will on 23–24 October and will concentrate on allocated to one of five 90-minute sessions be a valuable asset for the future and will sidewalk astronomy and telescopic view- (plus posters) and all were all extremely have a great legacy beyond IYA2009. She ing of the Moon and Jupiter. The audience well attended, with a full house of around is an Astronomer brought lots of discus- voted overwhelmingly to call this event 60 participants on two occasions. sion about gender balance and bias, which “Galilean Nights” and this suggestion has continued well after the session. been adopted by the IAU Executive Work- The first session focused on the interna- ing Group. tional aspect of the IYA2009 and was led The remaining four sessions focused on off by Pedro Russo (the International Coor- national IYA2009 activities and education. Overall it was clear that a huge amount of dinator), who gave an overview of all the Presentations were given on IYA2009 activ- work is going on globally, and especially in activities and the state of the financial sup- ities from the following countries: United Europe, to promote IYA2009. All the ses- port and supporting organisations. This Kingdom, Armenia, France, Romania, sions had extensive discussion both during was followed by presentations about three Slovenia, Slovakia and Serbia. Other pres- and afterwards as people swapped ideas. IYA2009 Cornerstone projects: 100 Hours entations focused on specific activities, A great meeting. and 80 Telescopes Around the World (Doug - mostly in the UK and were wide-ranging. las Pierce-Price); Portal to the Universe One of the UK ventures was the production (Lars Lindberg Christensen) and She is an of a short film – “The Starry Messenger”; a Notes Astronomer (Helen Walker). The latter two story about Galileo and his observations of Cornerstones had their international launch the Jovian satellites along with a moral for 1 On behalf of the JENAM2009 IYA2009 Symposium during the NAM/JENAM meeting. Everyone the student of today. The producer, Robert Organising Committee: C. Ödman (The Nether- lands), I. Robson (Edinburgh, UK), P. Roche (Cardiff, agreed that the “80 Telescopes Around the Priddey of the University of Hertfordshire, UK), P. Russo (IAU/ESO) and M. Stavinschi (Bucha- World” event had been a spectacular suc- gave a very honest and humorous review rest, Romania) cess and great appreciation was shown to (including many outtakes) of what it took

• The IYA2009 in Europe at JENAM 2009 • CAPjournal, No. 6, June 2009 • Page 7