Global Astronomy Month 2010 a call for participants

I am sure you would all agree that our 100 Hours of Astronomy ( April 2009 )events here
in Ireland were a great success and well worth the effort. Thanks to all IFAS clubs
and individuals who took part in sharing the night sky and their time with people.

April 2010 , the whole month !!! is the follow up global effort building on the
good will and lessons learned from IYA 100 Hours and other public outreach events.
With a whole month to play with , we are bound to have some excellent engagements
in our communities.

So thinking caps on , and please let us have your ideas , plans , aspirations
here on the forum so we can GO FOR IT

You can follow Global Astronomy Month on Twitter @GAM_2010
You can read all about Astronomers Without Borders here www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/

IFAS has become an affiliate to Astronomers Without Boarders , along with Blackrock Castle
Observatory, The Inishowen Maritime Museum and Planetarium , so far.

Introduction to GAM 2010

Global Astronomy Month (2010)

The great success of 100 Hours of Astronomy (100HA) in April 2009 showed what can be accomplished in astronomy outreach. As the first truly global outreach event, participation went well beyond regular outreach enthusiasts, with amateur astronomers, clubs, science centers and others taking part. The media took notice as local events by the thousands brought 100HA activities to big cities, small towns and rural areas alike around the world, attracting the largest public audience ever. The excitement was contagious as the concept of a unified global event that encouraged everyone to look skyward swept the world.

Event organizers from around the world reported larger crowds than ever before. Everyone agreed that the excitement should continue, building on the great effort that went into making 100 Hours of Astronomy such a success.

It will be hard to follow a historic success like 100HA, a cornerstone project of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009). Even more ambitious plans are called for. Global Astronomy Month (GAM 2010) is AWB’s response, with new ideas and opportunities to expand participation. Like 100HA, GAM will be a community-based, grassroots effort. But with the entire month of April dedicated to a wide variety of programs, everyone will be able to participate. Astronomy clubs and other organizations can plan events at times that are best in their countries. Weather-delayed observing events can be rescheduled. Good ideas can be picked up from others and used later in the month. There will be time for follow-up programs to successful events as well. And the big global one-day events that generated so much excitement in 100HA will still take place.

GAM will have more international collaboration and interaction than ever before. Behind the scenes of 100HA, organizers from around the world worked together, sharing their plans, trial runs and results. It was this collaboration that made 100HA into something new, and AWB and GAM will bring it to all participants. Along with discussions on the AWB forum and images in the gallery, new interactive tools such as audio and video connections will be added, making events even more collaborative and globally united than before. Event organizers have all told us that it was this sense of one big celebration that attracted astronomers and the public alike. Connecting people around the world in these events will create an even great sense of sharing, just as in AWB’s motto and the slogan for GAM – One People, One Sky.

The global outreach community's enthusiasm and innovation was critical in making 100 Hours of Astronomy successful, and GAM will continue to bring together all that tens of thousands of enthusiasts worldwide have to offer. More soon.

Deirdre Kelleghan
National Coordinator Ireland
Astronomers Without Borders

Thanks Deirdre,
I'll pass it on to Club memebrs and well see what we can come up with.

Dave_Lillis wrote:

Thanks Deirdre,
I'll pass it on to Club memebrs and well see what we can come up with.

Likewise in MAC. Something to look forward to for all in 2010!

Seanie.

Thanks Dave and Seanie for your interest in this expanding public astronomy movement.
Astronomers Without Borders now has 240 affiliates from 58 countries taking part in Global Astronomy Month 2010.

100 Hours of Astronomy showed us the wonderful generosity in outreach that Irish astronomy clubs and individuals can offer their communities. We were all for the most part done in by the weather for Galilean Nights but the spirit was there.

Lets hope for lots of clear nights in April .

Deirdre Kelleghan
Vice Char IFAS
Outreach IFAS
National Coordinator Astronomers Without Borders Ireland .
www.irishastronomy.org/
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
twitter.com/skysketcher

Logo up on the Kerry AC site and will be discussing arrangements for the event(s) soon. Thanks Deirdre.

Michael Scully

Global Astronomy Month 2010 featured on Sky & Telescope
www.skyandtelescope.com/news/home/84118052.html


Deirdre Kelleghan
Vice Char IFAS
Outreach IFAS
National Coordinator Astronomers Without Borders Ireland .
www.irishastronomy.org/
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
twitter.com/skysketcher