13Th August, England
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
24th July – 13th August, England Supporters of the IAYC The International Workshop for Astronomy e.V. (IWA) wishes to thank the people, organisations, institutes and companies that supported the IAYC 2015: • Fördergemeinschaft für naturwissenschaftliche Jugendarbeit e.V., Berlin, Germany (FNJ) • Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg • Leopold Figl-Observatorium für Astrophysik, Instituts für Astrophysik der Universität Wien • Physik-Department E15, Technische Universität München (TUM) And the people, organisations, institutes and companies that will be supporting the IAYC 2016: • Fördergemeinschaft für naturwissenschaftliche Jugendarbeit e.V., Berlin, Germany (FNJ) • Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) • British Astronomical Association (BAA) • Faulkes Telescope Project IAYC: The International Astronomical Youth Camp The International Astronomical Youth Camp (IAYC) is a three-week long summer camp aiming to promote the knowledge of astronomy and astronomy-related sciences in a unique and international atmosphere. Each year the IAYC takes place in a different location in Europe. About sixty-five people from all over the world live and work together for the duration of the camp. Participants are between 16 and 24 years old (16 and 24 included) and all share a common interest: astronomy. The IAYC is different from other astronomical camps for two reasons: (1) the international atmosphere and (2) the fact that you will carry out your own small research project. You will not just accept facts, but you will discover them yourself while working together with other people. The IAYC is not like a typical astronomical summer school. Every participant, with his or her own cultural background, forms an integral piece in the complex puzzle that is camp life. Therefore the success of the camp will also depend on your contribution! IWA – The Organisation Participants behind the IAYC To participate in the IAYC you must be 16 to 24 years old (16 and 24 included). The IAYCs are organised by an inter- English is the camp language, so you will national team of students and young need to speak English not only during scientists. They are all volunteers who working group activities and the non- started as participants and were then astronomical programme, but also selected to join “The International throughout the entire camp. The aim of Workshop for Astronomy” – IWA for this is to encourage those from different short – as leaders. As the association countries or language groups to spend responsible for organising the IAYC, IWA time together. The IAYC offers a great has around 4 decades of experience with opportunity to make friends from many the camp. IWA is registered as a non- different countries, and no need to profit organisation in Germany and worry, your English does not need to be therefore has no interest in commercial perfect. You should just be able to gain from the IAYC. have a normal conversation without a dictionary. The IAYC is an astronomy camp, therefore you should obviously be interested in science and astronomy. You should also be willing to carry out a small research project on your own, though your leader will always be there to support and help you. About the IAYC 2016 The IAYC 2016 will be taking place in the Camp house: Nettlecombe Court UK for the first time. It will be at Address: Williton, Taunton, Nettlecombe Court, a 16th century manor TA4 4HT house located in the Exmoor National Coodinates: Latitude: 51° 7’ 51.6” N Park, Somerset. This area was also Longitude: 3° 21’ 0” W named the first International Dark Sky in Altitude: ~ 100 m Europe! The nearest small town is Williton (3 miles/5 km) and the largest nearby town is Taunton (16 miles/26 km) where there is a train and a bus station. The nearest cities include Bristol (55 miles/90 km) and London (167 miles/270 km). More information can be found using maps.google.com or by contacting [email protected]. A few facts about England Nettlecombe Court serves as the Leonard Area: 130,395 km² Wills Field Centre, as a part of the Field Population: ~53 Million (2011) Studies Council. There are 15 dormitory Capital: London rooms, and four well-equipped teaching Official Language: English rooms. In addition, there is a student Currency: Pound (GBP) £ common room which has a pool table, a piano, arcade games, and table football. There is also plenty of space outside for games and activities, an observation field, as well as a stream, woodlands, grasslands, and a river only a short walk away. Travelling in Europe in general (and in England in particular) is very safe. The IAYC Experience Daily Schedule: 11:30 Waking up service 12:00 Breakfast Free time 13:00 - 15:30 1st working group session Observing Free time 17:30 Lunch Nettlecombe Court is located in an area Free time of very little light pollution. These 19:30 NAP conditions will be ideal for observing, 22:00 - 24:00 2nd working group session which takes place during working group 24:00 Dinner time as part of your project, or outside Observations / Free time after midnight meal when the telescopes are available for everyone. Catch a An IAYC day starts with breakfast at glimpse of a celestial object through a noon (12:00), allowing for enough sleep telescope or lie down in your sleeping after a long night out on the observation bag and enjoy the view. field. After breakfast, the first of two daily working group sessions starts at It’s not a problem if you don’t have any one o’clock (13:00). experience observing, the leaders and other participants are always happy to During working group sessions, you will help. It doesn’t matter if it’s about work on a project of your choice. There constellations, how to use a telescope or will be 8 different working groups with how to take astro-pictures. At the around nine participants each, plus a beginning of the camp we will offer a leader. Collaboration is encouraged as telescope introduction to help you get a projects aren’t usually carried out alone. feel for the basics of how to use a You will read up on the topic by telescope on your own. yourselves, explain things to each other, Furthermore, there’ll be a Dark Room carry out necessary observations and available. This means that you can take calculations, and take measurements etc. analogue (film) photos and develop them In short, you should not expect a school- yourself. You are also welcome to bring like environment where a teacher your own telescope or binoculars. We provides all the information and tells you will have available several telescopes what to do. But don’t worry, even though and CCD cameras suitable for observing you’re working on your own your leader and the taking of astro-pictures. For will still always be there to guide you if further information, contact you get stuck. [email protected] or [email protected]. Projects are offered at all levels, from Participation high school to university level, and you will also write a report. The reports will The participation fee for timely be compiled together into a book, and applications is 690 EUR. This applies to sent to you after the camp. applications sent before the Free time is for astronomy lectures, 10th of April 2016 sports activities or workshops. These are often organised by other participants, so The post stamp date counts! Later feel free to organise your own! Free time applications will be considered if places ends with lunch at half past five (17.30). are still available, with an increased fee of 750 EUR. Timely applicants will be Doing nothing else but astronomy for notified about the outcome of their three weeks would be too much. This is application at the end of April. If what the Non-Astronomical Programme accepted, you will need to transfer the (NAP) is for. NAP is a time where applicable participation fee within 7 days anything-but-astronomy activities are of receiving the acceptance e-mail. organised for the entire camp. If financial reasons keep you from After NAP, the second working group applying, then we encourage you to seek session takes place (22:00). This is support from our limited grant followed by the final scheduled event of programme. Write to [email protected] to the day, a light meal served at midnight. obtain a grant application form. Grant After this, if the sky is clear, it’s time to applications will only be accepted go out to the observation field and do together with the normal application what everyone at this camp loves to do: form (i.e. you cannot apply for a grant observe! after you have already been accepted to There are also two special days: attend the camp). The deadline for Excursion Day - visit local attractions and sending in a grant application is the learn something new! (This is included in th the participation fee.) And the Free Day – 27 of March 2016 a day to be spent in any way you wish. (post stamp date counts). There will be a short 10 minute Skype interview for those who apply for a grant. See the following pages for information about the different working group choices, as well as the General Coordinator and NAP roles. 2016: An IAYC Odyssey Tags: science-fiction, theoretical physics, conceptual physics Dear Sci-Fi lovers, I have an offer that you simply cannot refuse! Did you see the latest movie about the legendary adventures of that guy in Space? Afterwards, did you spend hours discussing with your nerdy friends about all the things which were physically wrong? Did you ever wonder if time-travel is feasible under Einstein's theory of general relativity? Or if quantum mechanics can really account for those inexplicable dualities in the last Super-Duper-Heroes saga? Then, my friend, this working group is just for you! If you can see a person Science and science-fiction have always been closely related.