StarPeace project is a Global Special project of IYA 2009 which intends to hold common and public star parties near the border lines in cooperation with astronomy groups from different countries with shared land border, in IYA 2009. Both groups in two neighbor countries hold common and public star parties in regions around their borders according to geographical conditions of the region. Although political border has separated people of both countries, applicants of the sky observation look at the sky simultaneously and the sky joins them. Furthermore, scientific speech, astronomical photos exhibition and etc may be established at the same time depending upon activity potential in same border point.

This project may be done in all countries with shared land border, but they are divided into two categories according to the public star party program. In the first category there are countries which have no free border, so public star party is held in a place near the shared border of the countries so that people of both countries are joined by the sky. The second category includes countries with free border; people of both countries are gathered together in zero-border point in a night to improve their connection in the sky as well as earth.

To cover all countries worldwide, StarPeace project recommends countries limited by their water border to choose a night by cooperation of astronomy groups of other country with the same situations to observe the sky, so that infinity of the sky and freedom of water join their countries. It should be noted that countries limited by their water borders should be geographically near each other so that they can observe the sky simultaneously for some hours.

 

http://www.starpeace.org/
 

ACTIVITY REPORT OF AMATUER ASTRONOMERS ASSOCIAITION OF KURDISTAN Azhy Chato Hasan

January and February, 2009
  
Cloudy DAWN and Shiny Noon in Erbil city in Nothern Iraq
 
Jan. 1, 2009
Greetings from Iraq to all of DAWN's World Wide Participants. Although the weather was cloudy from last night and this morning, this afternoon it changed to a shiny day but we had very cold winds!!
 
Still, we had a great chance to let many people view the Sun and learn about it's secrets with Amateur Astronomers Association of Kurdistan's Personal Solar Telescope and MEADE LX200 8 inch protected with solar filter.
 
3D MARS WEEK IN ERBIL
For the first time in Erbil city, we held "3D Mars Week" for approximately 120 students of the Erbil Private High School between Jan 17-22, 2009. They viewed 80 3D Martian photos. It was a conjunction between astronomy and joy of watching scientific photos.
 
First there was an introduction explaining 3D photography; about the 3D glasses and how they are used.  
The presented images were taken by Mars Pathfinder, Spirit, Opportunity, MRO,  and Mars Express Orbiter on the surface of Mars.
During the four days of presentations, there were too many questions that needed answering, starting from the sensitivity of the eyes of some of the students to when there will be another presentation like this again?
Surely, there will be many people becoming involved in this type of activity of sharing the beauty of the 3D Mars world with all these wonderful images and learning about the secrets of the 3D world in the next weeks and months of this exciting International Year of Astronomy.    

 

It is election time and if you nominated someone and you don't see them listed, it is because they declined to serve.  Please follow the link below and cast your votes, since we don't have too many people running, you can vote yes for all of them if you wish, but you can only fill out the ballot once.

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT! JOIN THE GLOBE AT NIGHT CAMPAIGN, 16-28 MARCH!

At least 2 out of 5 Americans, 1 out of 6 Europeans and 1 out of 10 people worldwide have never seen 90% of the stars in our night sky. With half the world's population now living in cities, this problem is only getting worse. Yet you can easily be part of a local solution to a global problem.

Take back the night! Take a few minutes to monitor your local night
sky brightness, place your measurement on-line noting your location, date and time and within a few weeks see a map of light pollution levels worldwide.

Be part of the "GLOBE at Night" citizen-science campaign and make a world of difference! The GLOBE at Night campaign runs March 16-28, 2009. Help preserve our natural heritage for generations to come. Find out more information at www.globe.gov/globeatnight. GLOBE at Night is an official International Year of Astronomy Dark Skies Awareness cornerstone project.

To learn more about other IYA2009 Dark Skies Awareness cornerstone projects and the effects of light pollution, visit
www.darkskiesawareness.org.
 

In sub-Saharan Africa, there aren't many astronomy clubs and there are few resources for individuals to acquire telescopes. We would like to initiate a program to help them build inexpensive telescopes. 

 

 We are currently gathering a team together to devise the program and if you have experience in telescope building or have traveled, lived in, or know people in Africa and have insight into what kinds of materials will be readily available  - we need your ideas and your help.   

 

What do you talk about to those waiting in line to observe through your telescope? We'd like to know the kind of things they ask before they get a chance to look and also the kind of information you feel is important for them to know before they reach the eyepeice.

 

Your responses will help beginning amateurs that are taking scopes out for the first time chat with the public make them feel more confident. Your experience can be useful. Send us an email and we will post it on the 100 Hours website for this project and then later post it on the SA site as a resource. Thanks!