Function: To develop and foster contact and communication between the IPS and other professional and educational organizations, as well as to distribute database resources for use in planetariums around the world.
This committee works on making ongoing contact with such organizations as the International Astronomical Union, the American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and the Space Telescope Institute. The committee facilitates information between the IPS membership and international space agencies such as NASA, ESA, CNES and JSA.
Committee Members
Jon Elvert, Chair <jelvert@lasm.org>
Irene W. Pennington Planetarium
Louisiana Art & Science Museum
100 South River Road
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 USA
(1) 225 344 5272 x141
Shoichi Itoh
Research Expert and Project Leader
Public Relations Center
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
National Institute of Natural Sciences
2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka,
Tokyo, 181-8588 JAPAN
+81-(0)422-34-3802
+81-(0)422-34-3810 fax shoichi.itoh@nao.ac.jp
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is supported by eleven cornerstone projects. These are global programmes of activities centred on a specific theme and represent the means to achieve the IYA 2009’s main goals; whether it is the support and promotion of women in astronomy, the preservation of dark-sky sites around the world or educating and explaining the workings of the Universe to millions, the eleven cornerstones will be the key facets of the success of the IYA 2009. See summary of IYA cornerstones from the Cornerstone Project task group.
IYA Update January 2009
IYA Galileoscope update:
The IYA Galileoscope website (http://www.galileoscope.org) is now up and running for taking orders—just in time for the IYA cornerstone project 100 Hours of Astronomy taking place 2-5 April. Orders of 100 or more will have priority. The Galileoscope is expected to be a f10, 25x with a 50mm lens and be an overall length of one meter. The cost of each scope is now estimated to be U.S.$12.00. See Galileoscope Flier
Globe at Night (GaN):
At http://365daysofastronomy.org/ to listen to podcast and participation in the Globe at Night program; resources that are available to dark sky advocates, the podcast suggests dark sky advocacy can be well received in your neighborhood. While you're there, check out the other podcasts,sign up for an RSS feed, and consider creating your own podcast.
For the Let There Be Night program http://www.LetThereBeNight.com, Penn-Harris-Madison (PHM) Planetarium director Art Klinger and Chuck Beuter have bundled existing content from several generous contributors onto 2 DVDs. Targeting the planetarium community and dark sky advocates, the DVDs can be purchased at cost directly from the GLPA at http://www.glpaweb.org/zencart5/index.php?
IYA Overview Web Sites (courtesy of Andy Fraknoi): 1. Overview Web Sites:
Visions of the Universe: Four Centuries of Discovery Library Exhibit (can print out mini-posters and background information): http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/visions/
Años Luz. Música para planetarios.
Composición, estreno y grabación en DVD de obras originales.
ALEJANDRO ESCUER
During 2009 the year of Astronomy, acclaimed flutist-composer Alejandro Escuer, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is launching a call for scores and works for flute and electronics. Selected pieces of a high degree of originality and craftsmanship will be performed in planetariums around the World and recorded in DVD with matched images of space to be done by recognized video artists and other planetarium specialists along with astronomers. The pieces should not be longer than five menutes and can use regular, alto, bass or contrabass flutes (no piccolo) with any electroacoustical means. Longer pieces can be considered if composers work on shorter versions. Planetariums insterested in participate, only need to send us an email expressing their interest in Años Luz. Música para planetarios/ Alejandro Escuer to the following address: flauta@alejandroescuer.com
As part of the Outreach Committee's efforts to assist planetariums in developing countries, David Weinrich reports: "We have been talking about ways of helping astronomy educators in developing countries for the past two years. Now we are ready for a pilot project that we hope will lead to future astronomical outreach to many developing countries." As part of the pilot project, a refurbished MediaGlobe digital projector was donated by the Louisiana Art & Science Museum to the Ghana Science Center. to the Ghana Science Center in Africa. The science center will provide funding for shipping it from Orlando, Florida to Ghana. They will also provide a dome for the projector, identify local science teachers or astronomy enthusiasts who can be trained to operate the system and give shows and provide funding for the training.
Dave explains, "We felt that it is especially important that there be active involvement of personnel and resources from Ghana. They have to be involved in the planning, the implementation and the future operation of the planetarium."
"We believe that it is especially important that local personnel be trained to run the planetarium and that there is adequate documentation of the project for media presentations and for reports to the International Planetarium Society."
Congratulations to David and Joanne for getting this project off the ground.
Committee Members 
Thomas Kraupe <
