Beyond IYA

As the International Year of Astronomy (IYA 2009) IYA 2009 comes to a close, those involved hope to sustain the momentum gained during the year in communicating astronomy with the public.  The IYA produced a number of excellent new media projects, creating fresh excitement and enthusiasm for astronomy and science.  A new non-profit organization and website have been created to provide a brand- new “home” to sustain IYA projects such as the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast and Second Astronomy in Second Life ™, as well as other existing and new projects.

Astrosphere New Media Association is dedicated to promoting science and skeptical thought through Internet-based technologies and distribution.  Its efforts are focused on the creation of technologies and content that enable better astronomy communications and greater astronomy content access for the public.

The projects encompassed by Astrosphere New Media include the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast, Astronomy 2009 Island in Second Life, the popular Astronomy Cast podcast and a new project for 2010, We Are Astronomers.  Additionally, Astrosphere will be hosting the archival websites from the US IYA.

The Internet provides a new way for astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts to communicate and interact with the public.  Astronomy communicators can use these new forms of communication — such as blogs, podcasts, social networks, interactive data tools, and community content sites (such as wikis) – to provide the public with dynamic web content through Web 2.0 technologies.

Astrosphere New Media Association will help facilitate this “new media” and new forms of communication for astronomy.

“This project rose out of two needs,” said Dr. Pamela Gay, Executive Director. “There are many of us working together in our spare time to communicate astronomy to the world. We’re building tools, writing content, and then giving it all away. What we needed was a central advocate who could work to find us a little funding for travel and servers and just help us get what we do out to the world. Astrosphere is here to be that advocate, and to provide IYA projects a home beyond 2009.”

The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is a community project that “airs” one podcast per day, 5 to 10 minutes in duration, for all 365 days of the year.  The podcast episodes are written, recorded and produced by people around the world who donate a few minutes to share their passion for astronomy.

Second Astronomy (go in world at this slurl) takes real world events into virtual realities, allowing the citizens of Second Life (TM) a way to experience projects such as From Earth to the Universe and The World at Night. In early 2010, Second Astronomy will showcase John Gleason’s h-alpha astrophotography and roll out walkable, island size Spitzer MIPSGAL/GLIMPSE image. Later in the year, new virtual ‘as the eye sees’ telescopes pop up around the island, creating a star party atmosphere and building a cultural astronomy “sky stories” experience.

Astronomy Cast takes a facts-based journey through the Universe each week with Fraser Cain (Universe Today) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (Star Stryder).  The podcasts are available online or through iTunes .

We Are Astronomers is a Beyond 2009 project that looks to capture the diversity of who we are as astronomers through pictures and videos.  Astronomers include professionals, amateurs, and armchair enthusiasts.  To find out how you can help, email info@WeAreAstronomers.org.

Other new media science and astronomy projects and even skepticism projects looking for collaborators, direction, support or a “home” are welcome to contact Astrosphere New Media Association at:

Astrosphere New Media Association
P.O. Box 804
Edwardsville, IL 62025

email:info@astrosphere.org

This week is a bit of a coming out party for us here at Astrosphere. Several of our team are attending the American Astronomical Society Meeting in Washington DC. We’re here to share science; both communicating our own results with our peers and helping you see into the world of astronomy through blogs, live streams (public events, press conferences, and random reporting), Second Life presentations (public events, press conferences), and twitter (@starstryder, @astrosphere, and @astronomycast). A full line up of events will get regularly updated under the “Events” link at the top of this page.

For those of you who’d like a less virtual experience and who will be in the DC area, there are also a few events open to the public. On Monday night, at 6:30pm, Brian B. Schwartz will be talking on Science as Performance and on Wednesday night there will be a Tweetup / Meetup at a location to be announced.

Join us?

Making it 2 years in a row...

The award-winning 365 Days of Astronomy podcast is proud to announce
that the project will continue for another 365 days and is now
accepting sign-ups for participants for 2010. This is a legacy project
of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) and is being managed by
Astrosphere New Media Association.

In 2009, the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast was a major project of the
IYA, publishing one podcast for every day of the year. The podcast
episodes are written, recorded, and produced by people all around the
world. “This podcast gives a voice to everyone in astronomy –
professionals, amateurs, and those who just enjoy the amazing
discoveries and images of our Universe,” said Dr. Pamela Gay, chair
for the IYA’s New Media Group. The continuation of the project was
officially announced at the .Astronomy (“dot Astronomy”) conference in
Leiden, The Netherlands, on Friday.

The 365 Days of Astronomy podcast is now looking for individuals,
schools, companies, and clubs to submit 5 to 10 minutes of audio for
our daily podcast.

“The Universe is a big place — but the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast
brings a little piece of it down to Earth each day,” said Dr. Chris
Lintott, BBC Sky at Night.

The 365 Days of Astronomy podcast has gained a wide audience, and each
episode is heard by 5,000 to 10,000 listeners. The project was awarded
a Parsec Award for “The Best Info-tainment” podcast of 2009.

Participants can sign up to do just one episode or up to 12 episodes
(one per month, subject to editorial discretion). The 365 Days of
Astronomy team encourages people to sign up for a particular day (or
days) of 2010. A calendar of astronomical events is available on the
project’s website to provide ideas, but the podcasts can be about
virtually any astronomical topic. “We are seeking a wide range of
contributions, from simple concepts or how-to’s to more in-depth
discussions of complex concepts,” said Dr. Gay. “In 2009, we received
a wide range of contributions, from simple at-home first-time podcasts
to highly polished and professional recordings. We expect the same for
2010 and are looking to sign up a wide range of participants, from
graduate students in astronomy to science bloggers to big media
companies.”

The project is also seeking financial support from individuals and
organizations to help pay for editing and posting of the podcasts.

For more information visit http://365DaysOfAstronomy.org

Galileoscopes from NOAO

Our auction of 2 autographed Galileoscopes raised enough money to donate 33 telescopes to 33 kids. We don’t know where on the planet these telescopes will fly, but no matter where they go I’m sure the kids behind the eye pieces will be thrilled to have a chance to explore the sky with their own eyes.

We are also excited to be able to share that Galileoscope will be going into 2010! Details aren’t public yet, but when they are, I think everyone will be proud of the shape this wonderful project is taking. One thing I can share is Astrosphere will be helping them out with web hosting, and getting their new media voices heard.

This auction was our first fundraiser and suffice to say, we learned some important lessons: 1) eBay auctions are easy, but eBay buyers don’t like first time sellers. I am a first time seller. This is fixable with time. 2) eBay has special programs for non-profits. They require paper checks (which I don’t have – who uses checks?!) and the official letter from the IRS (which I’m waiting on). There will be more auctions – we have a ‘scope signed by the folks from Flood(!!!) – but they will happen after we are official with the IRS and with eBay.