IYA2009 UK UpdateIYA2009 UK UpdateIYA2009 UK UpdateIYA2009 UK Update

Ian RobsonIan RobsonIan RobsonIan Robson

Top-level organisationTop-level organisationTop-level organisationTop-level organisation

Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) the lead organisation

Initial seedcorn funding (£2k) approved Single Point of Contact agreed (self)Chair of the UK IYA2009 Working Group

agreed (self)Report directly to RAS CouncilWeb-link established and user forum in place

Kick-off MeetingKick-off MeetingKick-off MeetingKick-off Meeting Kick-off meeting on October 6th 2006 13 organisations represented – ranging from amateur

societies, education, museums, through to funding agency (PPARC). The ‘uniformed groups (scouts guides), the producers (professional astronomers and observatories) were not represented

Presented the ‘overview’ and requested organisations to consult with the managing bodies and grass-roots members and come back with ideas for UK events and ‘global’ ’ events before Garching meeting today

Strong hint of financial support from PPARC for events – looking to see consolidation of ideas and themes.

UK ideasUK ideasUK ideasUK ideas ‘MoonWeek 2009’ (National Astronomy Week)

late March early April to:Focus activity on observations of the Moon and

Saturncoincide with 400th anniversary of Thomas Harriott

telescopic observations of the Moon in July 1609 – events, observations,

Family day-event and exhibiton etc at Syon House A telescope in every secondary school – very

ambitious and complex, two contrasting ideas currently – one needs prototyping

Card telescopes for museums/planateria/VCs Magazines and cartoons for children

Notes, questions and Notes, questions and thoughtsthoughtsNotes, questions and Notes, questions and thoughtsthoughts Would there be a single focus (like Galileo) cf Einstein for Year of Physics? Could we use the confusion between astronomy and astrology to our

advantage? 2009 is also Darwin year, which could be big competition within the UK If we want a special postage stamp set we need to act very quickly Must capitalise on the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing The longest solar eclipse takes place (albeit in China) Jupiter is not well placed in 2009, but Saturn is Space should also be included in ‘astronomy’ Use the current ‘Science Festivals’ and events and expand and re-focus Local science festivals spring up and could be useful venues Major ‘alternative events’ like Glastonbury should be considered as a

potential audience Alternative audiences, such as ‘proms’ at stately homes might also work as

events, especially with Holst themes National launch event must have something special as a hook for the media Robotic telescopes should be in a much stronger position by then

Next stepsNext stepsNext stepsNext steps

Use this meeting as a springboard to energise the communities – next UK meeting is on March 14th

Have not yet involved the professional community – will tackle at the National Astronomy Meeting (April 16-20)

Problems so farProblems so farProblems so farProblems so far

Inertia – hard to ‘drive’ the organisationsSome of the organisations do not seem to

have pushed the question down to their grass-roots – maybe timing?

The education side is going to be very difficult to crack

Global ideasGlobal ideasGlobal ideasGlobal ideas

24-hours around the world via great 24-hours around the world via great observatories – TV spectacular featuring observatories – TV spectacular featuring the icons (telescopes, spaceprobes and the icons (telescopes, spaceprobes and people) of astronomy, linked with people) of astronomy, linked with expanded culture, science, technology for expanded culture, science, technology for local consumptionlocal consumption

ObservationsObservationsObservationsObservations

Interesting publicity just seen for the ‘polar Interesting publicity just seen for the ‘polar year’ and IHY within the UKyear’ and IHY within the UK

Do we need a ‘Royal’ patron ?Do we need a ‘Royal’ patron ? Need to gear up feeding into CAP2007 – Need to gear up feeding into CAP2007 –

this could be a very good incentivising this could be a very good incentivising focusfocus