Astronomy Outreach: Bringing Us All Under The Same Umbrella
In any family or community, we all have different skills and knowledge. Outreach connects us together by sharing our knowledge with each other.
"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” - George Bernard Shaw. In fact, by sharing our ideas they become better and new ideas are born.
So, what does outreach do? It:
- connects us with people
- lets us share our knowledge with others
- lets us learn more while sharing and discussing with others
- reduces the gap between peoples' knowledge
- keeps our knowledge up-to-date
- dissolves false ideas about science
- allows us to learn and achieve more, by sharing our “2 cents” worth of knowledge with others
- crafts new scientists
People who offer outreach also benefit. From my personal experience:
- we learn facts faster
- science communication skills are enhanced faster - these help us to express our science in a more comprehensible manner
- we get to know people with diverse backgrounds, what they know, and how they think and accept knowledge. It helps to spread science in a wider community or in other words it performs science networking.
- we learn more by expressing our science to others
- to be a good astronomer or scientist we need skills in writing, analytical thinking, speaking, reading - outreach and science communication help us develop all those skills, making our thinking consistent and composed.
The effects of the globalisation and advancement of science are varied…
- Modern science has been advancing at such a rapid rate that there now exists a large gap between general knowledge and the technical knowledge of any particular academic field.
- Moreover the increasing expense of higher education is also a barrier for people to learn modern science.
- In any field of science today focuses on sophisticated areas of study, which includes highly advanced instruments, high performance computing or super computing, the inclusion of computer programming or usage of problem focused software. Therefore, branches of modern science including astronomy, nano-physics, quantum chemistry, etc. are far from the practical reach of the general population (without years of study and training) and this is creating a large gap between scientists and non-scientists.
So, how would we like to see the future? We shouldn’t educate only ourselves. We want to live in a society or a world where we all can grow together - so let’s reduce the gap of knowledge and create a better future!
How can we do it? Getting involve in outreach! This can be:
- giving public lectures
- demonstrating how science works
- writing science blogs
- podcasting and vodcasting
- making youtube videos of lectures, tutorials, other relevant events, etc.
- any sort of presentations
- Finding outreach events and joining them
- opening a Facebook page (or in any such social media) where you can share your knowledge or communicate science among many
Talk about your own science to your parents, grand-parents, friends from different backgrounds, to your neighbours, even to the passengers on public transports - this is the simplest way we can contribute to the community - this is outreach! We will also feel happy by sharing what we do and will receive countless appreciations, encouragement and inspirations! And, if your parents can understand your science, then you’re doing a pretty good job communicating it!
One great thing about outreach is that it does not discriminate! Rather, it unites us all with our curiosity - irrespective of age, gender, race, literacy level, level of skill, culture, colour, religion or any such division. How cool is that! If we want to see a better future - we have to take charge of it - all of us!
What I do for outreach:
As an Astronomy student, I was involved in astronomy outreach activities that the school offered me when I first started astronomy (MPhil at ANU, RSAA). After I left ANU and started my doctorate degree at the UNSW Australia, I again got involved in outreach activities at the UNSW Physics outreach unit. I have actively been an Outreach Presenter for this unit since January 2013. I have been involved in the organisation of many events both on-campus and off-campus. Activities include: portable planetarium show, telescope viewing (solar & night) and physics demonstrations. I also contribute to the UNSW Physics Facebook page and various multimedia public productions. These days I am an outreach co-ordinator in the UNSW Physics unit. I also give public talks and talk about physics and astronomy wherever I go, and promote science whenever the opportunity arises. I am also a student representative for the ASA EPOC (The Astronomical Society of Australia's Education and Public Outreach Chapter). In addition, I am a monthly podcaster at the 365 days of Astronomy, organised by the CosmoQuest.
Astronomy and physics outreach may not lead me to earn a lot of money and live a lavish lifestyle - but surely it can give me something that money cannot buy. A life full of events, adventures, cool experiences, and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds, connecting with nature and so much more! Wherever on earth I go, in most places I will get to see the natural laboratory for astronomy - the one sky that we all share together!
Outreach is something through which you can directly contribute to society and the world. If you love the sky, if you love astronomy, no matter who you are, no matter where you are, you can always contribute to astronomy outreach!
If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it. - Margaret Fuller
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Shaila Akhter was born and grew up in Bangladesh. When she was a child, her father used to take her in his lap and every night he used to show her the night sky with lots of beautiful stars! Ever since she has always dreamt to be an Astrophysicist! She completed her Master of Philosophy program in the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Mount Stromlo Observatory, at the Australian National University. Currently she is a PhD candidate at the School of Physics, UNSW Australia. She is also a co-supervised student of CASS that is the Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organization Astronomy and Space Science. Her present research addresses how massive stars, that are eight to twenty times the mass of the sun, form in molecular clouds.
Beyond her research, she is heavily involved in public outreach. She is the outreach co-ordinator for the UNSW Physics outreach unit. She is a monthly podcaster at the 365 days of Astronomy, organised by the CosmoQuest. She also enjoys tutoring and demonstrating physics laboratories for undergraduates in our University. She is also a teaching assistant for some Astronomy online courses at UNSW.
Konnichiwa from Office for Astronomy Outreach
Greetings from Japan! My name is Lina and very recently have joined the Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) based in Mitaka, a twenty minutes train ride from central Tokyo. OAO is based at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and I must say I feel more than honoured to be able to join this great team.
I’ve been following GAM Blog since back 2012 and I feel very lucky that one of my first official tasks for OAO is to write an article for it, giving me the chance to express some of my initial insights on OAO and all the projects we face ahead. So, I must say I’m really excited to embark on this new adventure and to be given the chance to work on IAU programs such as NameExoWorlds or Cosmic Light for International Year of Light 2015.
I always thought how cool it would be to actually name an alien world, but I always wondered how even cooler would it be to actually have astronomers using the name I had thought up in their papers, science articles, grumpy rants at 4am… and now this truly is possible! I’m really glad to be able to give my contribution to this IAU campaign. So, for NameExoWorlds IAU’s goal is simple: to involve everyone, literally everyone, in the process of naming exoworlds. First you just need to want to name an alien world (who doesn’t, right?), then and because when you do things together with others is always much better than when you’re alone, contact your local astronomy club (or your local planetarium, local science centre, etc…) and discuss with them your ideas. Discussing astronomy is fun and you can learn a lot more about astronomy and which exoworlds you’d like to name. Then in the process you can talk to your friends and family or even engage with your community into finding your favourite names of choice for exoplanetary systems and their host stars and at the same time start gaining fans for voting on your name. Still having doubts on how to do it? OAO is here to help!
Another project OAO is currently coordinating is Cosmic Light and again, I was lucky to start working in 2015, right in the middle of International Year of Light celebrations! And as light pollution focused IAU program Cosmic Light gains momentum there are a lot of things that we can look forward to. This is a unique opportunity to continue the amazing work already done around the world by so many people. Since back 2009 IAU is committed to fight light pollution and hopes to further aid these programs actively, raising awareness for the loss of our dark skies and the importance that cosmic light has not only for astronomy but for everyone here on earth.
So, again, there are really cool things being launched as we speak. For instance, if you’re an app fan then you’ll definitely want to play with the Dark Sky Meter app (you can just download from the appstore) and join global citizen science projects by measuring the quality of your sky. You have Light: Beyond the Bulb exhibition that’s already being a huge success! I guess many of you may still remember how cool FETTU was and the incredible impact it had back in 2009, I’m really curious in knowing what improbable great places they will reach this time around. We also have Galileoscopes reaching impoverished communities with it’s easy to assemble low cost telescope. And of course IAU’s concern with schools and teaching communities will provide sustainable resources, activities and support, which teachers can use with their students around the world. There is much here to look forward to!
I finish by thanking AWB and GAM Blog for having me. I have been collaborating with AWB for a long time now, since 2010 actually, first with the planetarium group and then with the special needs group and I have had a lot of fun and hopefully we can continue to do many great things in the future! And last but not least a huge thank you for reading! And remember, please stay in touch! If you have any questions, ideas you want to share or just to say hi! please feel free to do so, after all, we’re just an email away!
IAU OAO team is composed by (from bottom left) Yukiko Shibata, Sze-leung Cheung, Lina Canas, Hidehiko Agata and Kumiko Usuda (bottom right).
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Lina Canas is currently based at National Astronomical Observatory of Japan in Mitaka, Tokyo working for the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach. Throughout the years she has collaborated with many education and outreach associations in different projects, allowing her to know first-hand that the world is full of amazing people doing amazing things! Many of her hobbies overlap with her work, which sometimes is confusingly fun & confusingly stressing at the same time.
Email: [email protected]
Light: Beyond the Bulb
In astronomy, light – in all of its many forms -- is the language we use to learn about the Universe. From radio waves to gamma rays, those of us who work in astronomy are used to thinking about light in its true sense: the full span of the electromagnetic spectrum.
This is why my colleagues and I were thrilled to hear that the United Nations declared 2015 to be the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL2015). On the heels of the successful International Year of Astronomy in 2009, IYL2015 provides an excellent opportunity to build on pre-existing projects, re-energize networks, and expand into new areas of science content.
During the International Year of Astronomy in 2009 (IYA2009), we created “From Earth to the Universe” (FETTU) that placed large-scale astronomical imagery in 1,000 public spaces around the world. We found that this “public science” model was a useful way to communicate with the people we want to engage in such venues as shopping malls, outdoor parks, hospitals, cafes, and more.
Many people might not realize that visible light makes up just a small fraction of all light available in the Universe. Our intention was to create a project that would use the public science model to highlight the light-based science being researched today across the electromagnetic spectrum, across scientific disciplines, and across technological platforms. To do that my colleagues and I created “Light: Beyond the Bulb” for IYL2015.
Light: Beyond the Bulb is an open-access international exhibition program containing striking images that were crowd-sourced and then expert-curated for science content, high-quality printability, stunning beauty and ability to engage the greater public. Along with experts in the field we developed short, descriptive captions designed to focus on various aspects of light and its properties. Light: Beyond the Bulb showcases materials in a range of topics and scales, from microbiology to astronomy, and creates connections with physics, optics, photonics, atmospheric and earth sciences, astrophysics, and more.
We have over 150 exhibit locations in progress or being planned for 2015, in more than 25 countries, from an airport in New Zealand to a mall in Canada. And the list is still growing. There are another 500 hundred locations (schools, science centers, libraries, parks and other learning spaces) that are hosting a small exhibit of Light: Beyond the Bulb posters. Translations are complete or in-progress in several languages by our “volunpeer” networks in languages such as Spanish, French, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Afrikaans and others.
The response to projects such as these continues to surprise us. In that, even with a digital repository of free materials to work with, it’s still quite a bit of effort to create an experience or event to share with others that will have value and add meaning. Having so many people download these materials to create an exhibit to share with those around them is just wonderful to be a part of.
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Kimberly Arcand is the Visualization Lead for NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the principal investigator of the Light: Beyond the Bulb project for the International Year of Light 2015.
Drawing of traditional asterisms in Thailand
Since I was young, I have interested about how to imagine constellations and asterisms in the night sky but in many star guide books in Thailand at that time had only western constellations. So, I doubted about traditional asterisms of my motherland but just few traditional asterisms in Thailand were depicted.
Lacking of Thai traditional asterisms’ depiction in 1990s has become better after the first edition of “Tai Baan Doo Dao” Thai language book by Miss.Nipatporn Pengkaew in 2000. Content of this book is about traditional asterisms in many regions of Thailand from interviewed knowledgeable elder people in each region by writer but majority of Thai traditional asterisms’ depiction in this book were display in stick figures.
Due to drawing is the one of my hobbies, I have drawn Thai traditional asterisms since January 2015 for improve my drawing skill and support my stargazing guide to Thai students by using “Tai Baan Doo Dao” book and some other Thai language star guide books.
From purpose of my drawing, I draw it when I have free time from my main work. I upload these depictions in my facebook and still ongoing.
These are three examples of my Thai traditional asterisms’ drawing
Orion
Thai people in the past saw Orion constellation as 2 asterisms “A turtle carries a plough on its back”
- “Dao Tao” (Turtle star): Betelguese, Bellatrix, Saiph and Rigel are legs of turtle, while turtle’s head is consist of Lambda Ori & Phi Ori. This asterism was depicted with red line in left image.
- “Dao Tai” (Plough star): Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka & Orion Nebula are assemble as a plough, a tool for prepare soil to farming and traditionally drawn by buffalo. This Thai asterism was depicted with blue line in left & right image and also similar to Indonesian version of plough star “Bintang Waluku”
“Dao Tao” & “Dao Tai” are well-known traditional asterism in Thailand.
Gemini
Gemini was seen as 2 traditional asterisms as “A crow catch coffin”
- “Dao Loong” (Coffin star): Four brightest stars of Gemini (Pollux, Castor, Alhena & Tejat Posterior) are form rectangular-shape coffin. This asterism was depicted with red line.
- “Dao Ka” (Crow star): Delta Gem, Zeta Gem (Mekbuda), Lambda Gem & Epsilon Gem (Mebsuta) are form the crow. This asterism was depicted with blue line.
Eastern part of Winter hexagon
Thai people in the past saw eastern part of winter hexagon as Siamese junk (“Siam” is former name of Thailand)
- “Dao Sam Pao” (Junk star): Castor, Pollux, Procyon & Sirius are form junk’s base, while “Tai Baan Doo Dao” book told that remain part of Gemini is one of sails but it's too short when I drew it.
Siamese junk is in Chinese-style junk because of Chinese have important role in international trade of Siam within Asia (especially Siam-China trading in 14-19th century)
It’s easy to imagine junk’s base when this asterism is rising due to Thailand locate in low latitude (latitude of Bangkok ~14°N). I think “Dao Sam Pao” is the largest of Thai traditional asterisms.
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Pisit Nitiyanant was born and grew in Thonburi, western part of Bangkok. When he was young child, his family always brings him to Bangkok planetarium frequently and due to often astronomy event in 1990s (1994 Shoemaker-Levy 9 comets, 1995 total solar eclipse, 1996 Hyakutake comet, 1997 Hale-Bopp comet & total lunar eclipse, 1998 Leonids meteor showers). He become to interest in astronomy.
After finished his bachelor degree from Chiang Mai University in 2012 in Physics with minor geology. He works as astronomical public outreach officer of National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) since May 2013. His main target is providing the basis knowledge in the field of planetary geology and planetary science-related fields for next generation. He also interest about historical astronomy, the field that astronomy meet with history & culture.
Living the idea: One People, One Sky
Today for me the universal appeal of astronomy is still unabated fascinating. It's astonishing to see how astronomy has changed, to see the big technological progress and to deal with the new challenge, and to be a part of a big community around the world, a world of information nearly without borders.
For me the IYA2009 was a big boost in my life, especially when I came in first contact to Mike Simmon's great idea and got connected to AWB and it's great slogan: "ONE PEOPLE, ONE SKY"
Yes that's it - our "ONE SKY", our starry sky, basically everywhere the same and the only one we have. Not only for our big community, but for all human beings our nightsky is worth to be protected and to be saved for our next generations. Our "One Dark Sky" ist the biggest World Heritage Site we have - let's protect it together and let's struggle against light pollution ! One of my contributions to reach this goal are my efforts to spread information to as many people as possible. Sharing my astronomical excitement with family, children and friends will be the best contribution to reach this goal.
..... and "ONE PEOPLE" ..... what a great idea, what a great goal !
Therfore I am fully sharing the mission and goal of Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) and their dedication to foster understanding and goodwill across national and cultural boundaries by creating relationships through the universal appeal of astronomy. Further to this aspect I hold the role "Ambassador & National Coordinator" for this worldwide organization. To make this mission alive, I like to travel. I want to connect people and I want to cross borders and therfore I travel with my astro-equipped car to foreign countries and cultures, for example to Arabic countries (one of the cradles of astronomy) but to other places in the world too, trying to get connected by sharing the fascination of our ONE SKY !
Further, beeing an elected Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, I have signed the Universal Ethical Code for Scientists and I am anxious to fullfill these conditions in my daily life and my astronomical functioning.
Another passion ist to beat the drums for TWAN - "The World At Night" - the first big project from AWB. Holding the role of the TWAN-Austria event coordinator I try to spread the word to as much people as possible.
I always try to meet other members of AWB or other astronomical associations face to face because it's always a wonderful experiene to become acquainted with people you met first only by Internet, by e-mail, in chat-rooms or via Skype.
So for me it's important to cross sometimes borders in reality, physically to make the idea living :-) It's already a kind of life-style to try to break down walls, to cross borders. Sometimes borders inside my own country, trying to connect people in my own country and ideally also to foreign countries.
AWB is no umbrella organisation of anybody - it’s an idea - a vision and it’s a philosophy. It’s a big experiment depending on many volunteers, dedicated astronomers, amateurs and professionals as well - ONE PEOPLE, ONE SKY. It's a simple message, but so hard to live - but anyway worth trying it - every day, every year !
Every year, there is a big chance to celebrate this great idea, to celebrate the universal appeal of astronomy - it's called GAM - the Global Astronomy Month.
In IYA2009 an event called "100hours of astronomy", connecting thousands of dedicated astronomers around the globe, has been the initial point and GAM is a kind of follow-up of this successful event and GAM is a living proof of the sustainability of the IYA2009.
Following pictures, meeting people around the globe on different places, should give a little impression of my approach to live the idea.
So for me it's really a big luck to live here in Linz, in AUSTRIA, in the heart of Europe and it's a good place to start in any direction of the globe and it's a good place to meet.
So hopefully, for the future, it will continue to be a good base for "LIVING THE IDEA".
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Johannes Stübler Living in Linz/AUSTRIA (called "Keplertown- Linz", because the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler was living and working in Linz during 1611-1626)
Beeing an amateur astronomer for over 35 years, with extreme desire to network with amateur astronomers and even professionals all over the world, I am totally dedicated to the idea and mission of Astronomers Without Borders and trying to live this idea and mission in my daily astronomical life and work.
