Latest International Year of Astronomy Stories
Astronomers around the world are taking part in a marathon in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first use of a telescope in 1609.Organized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) the "100 Hours of Astronomy" event is expected to bring a large audience to events across the globe as well as a massive online audience of participants. "It is a sense of discovery and awe that astronomers wish to share with our fellow citizens all over the world," said IAU...
GLOBE at night, the international star-counting program, starts on Monday, 16 March, 2009, a key activity during this International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009). Running between 16 and 28 March, it is a digital effort to obtain precise measurements of urban dark skies around the world using sky-quality meters.How dark is your sky? Do you lose counts of the stars in your nightscape or are you lucky to spot even one? The reason city skies are dull compared to beautiful dark skies in the...
What convinced Galileo 400 years ago that the Earth orbits the Sun and not vice-versa? How did one man make such a startling discovery, armed with just a 2 inch lens telescope? To mark the UK launch of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA 2009) in the UK, the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), the Institute of Physics (IOP) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) have surveyed the UK public to ask what Galileo is remembered for... and most people don't know.In the...
Astronomers from around the world have gathered in Paris for the start of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009), the largest network ever for sharing the wonders of the Universe with the public.The official Opening Ceremony for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) began today. It is taking place at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Headquarters, and features not only government representatives, diplomats, scientists from...
A new article in the February edition of 'Astronomy and Geophysics' explains how British astronomer Thomas Harriot made the first drawing of the Moon through a telescope in July 1609, several months before Galileo.This year the world celebrates the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009), marking the 400th anniversary of the first drawings of celestial objects through a telescope. This first has long been attributed to Galileo Galilei, the Italian who went on to play a leading role in the...
In 1609, exactly four centuries ago, Galileo revolutionised humankind's understanding of our position in the Universe when he used a telescope for the first time to study the heavens, which saw him sketching radical new views of the moon and discovering the satellites orbiting Jupiter.In synch with the International Year of Astronomy (IYA), which marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo's discoveries, a group of astronomers and curators from the Arcetri Observatory and the Institute and Museum...
