2009 is the International Year of Astronomy

Members of the Executive Committee have prepared a  Final Report, available in both official languages, that attempts to provide context and capture some of the highlights of IYA2009 in Canada. Choose the full resolution version; or choose the lower resolution version that downloads more quickly. The intended audience is broad, with particular emphasis on the hundreds of enthusiastic people in Canada, mostly volunteers, who contributed so generously of their time, passion and knowledge, in some cases over many years, to IYA’s success.   With so many diverse activities no report can possibly be complete, but we hope that our Final Report allows readers to appreciate the larger context  in which individual contributions took place and were valued by the millions of Canadian IYA beneficiaries.

We have also prepared a series of appendices,  in their original language, that provide additional specific information on selected topics that might be of interest to those contemplating future national education and public outreach efforts.  Should any group wish more detailed information for planning purposes, members of the Executive Committee will endeavour to answer questions, which may be sent to Jim.Hesser *- at -* nrc-cnrc.gc.ca. 

The 148 nations  that participated in IYA 2009 are now transitioning into their Beyond International Year of Astronomy legacies.  In Canada the partnership between the Canadian Astronomical Society, Fédération des astronomes amateurs du Québec and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada continues with particular emphasis on the programs identified in Section 5 of the Report.  During Beyond IYA activities our members look forward to interacting with even more Canadians under the one sky that unites all humans, reinforcing that “The Stars Belong To Everyone” (Helen S. Hogg).

Kim Breland, Kim Hay, Jim Hesser, Dave Lane, Rémi Lacasse, Damien Lemay, Doug Welch

International Year of Astronomy has been a resounding success in our country and around the world but here in Victoria, British Columbia, the RASC Victoria Centre proudly completed one amazing accomplishment that I don’t think was duplicated anywhere else in Canada in 2009.  For one hundred hours ( and five minutes to be exact), from 7:00pm on Tuesday, April 28th to 11:05 pm on Saturday May 2nd, members of the Royal Astronomical Society in Victoria took astronomy to the community at large and gave well over two thousand locals, tourists, and school children their 2009 Galileo Moments.

Our Mammoth Marathon, named for the famous mascot in the Royal British Columbia Museum, began on the sidewalk outside of the Museum right in the heart of downtown Victoria.  As patrons came out from viewing the IMAX show, Cosmic Voyage, and hearing a presentation from one of our local professional astronomers, we deftly corralled them to join us to look through the telescopes at the moon and Saturn. The expected “oohs” and “aahs” erupted around us as we talked to many people that evening.

As the wee hours of the night came on two ardent volunteers bundled up and took command of the tented area.  It was a cold and lonely place as we found out quickly that Victoria is not too much of a “happening place” and that washrooms are few and far between in that area of town at three A.M. Needless to say our numbers of public observers were rather thin that night but when the new cohort of volunteers showed up early the next morning to let the “overnighters” go home there were still smiles all round as Venus was rising and the Sun peeked out behind the buildings.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of its first light, the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope releases a 370 Megapixel deep sky image with half a million galaxies, an exclusive  illustrated essay on its past and current achievements, and new wallpapers of the telescope. 

Each week, SkyNews publishes a Photo of the Week, chosen from the submissions they receive.  Check out the latest  one...