After a very hot week with temperatures reached to 47C degree! Finally the weather conditions became excellent.   Wonderful day it was!  When we went to Minara Park in the middle of Erbil city for our SWB3 activity, music was every where inside the park! That’s because French Cultural Center celebrated with World Music Day which it is on June 22 in every year. There were too many foreign guests from Germany, Japan, USA, Iran and France and from governorates of southern of Iraq.AAAK's begin with its activity at 07:40 PM local by using 4.5 inch TASCO-Galaxsee and 2 inch Celestron C65 reflector telescopes.Too many kids with variety ages where fully enjoyed specially to looking at the Moon, they asking why there are plenty of holes up there!! Also the first time looking to Saturn with its line shaped rings was unforgettable moment to every one joined us on that evening! June 21 2010

Attachments
 SWB 3 - IRQ-KURD 1.JPG [92 KB] ::
 SWB 3 - IRQ-KURD 2.JPG [82 KB] ::
 SWB 3 - IRQ-KURD 5.JPG [109 KB] ::

Thanks for posting the report of your opening, Valentin.  Do you have photos from it?  I'll be interested in seeing any that you have.

Mike

In 2010, March 27th, the Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy (SARM) launched the Global Astronomy Month 2010 in Romania through its President Valentin Grigore and Andrei Dorian Gheorghe on Columna TV-Targoviste, at the weekly astronomical broadcast “Us and the Sky – Noi si Cerul”, which will be dedicated in the next weeks to this great event.

They also told about ISAN and Earth Hour in Romania and in the world, and opened SARM’s international project Astropoetry to the Global Astronomy Month 2010.

More details here:

http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/astropoetrytotheglobalastronomymonth/

With all best wishes,

Valentin Grigore 

Mixed colors of astronomy and (Newroz Day)

Attachments
 ISAN4-Erbil-fire works 4.JPG [280 KB] ::
 ISAN4-Erbil-fire works 2.JPG [365 KB] ::
 ISAN4-Erbil-3.JPG [355 KB] ::
 Sun-Earth Day-Erbil-2010-4.JPG [300 KB] ::
 Sun-Earth Day-Erbil-2010-7.JPG [261 KB] ::
 Sun-Earth Day-Erbil-2010-13.JPG [373 KB] ::
 Sun-Earth Day-Erbil-2010-2.JPG [208 KB] ::

                              Mixed colors of astronomy and (Newroz Day)

By: Azhy Hasan South Western Regional Organizer - SW.ISAN-2010      It was perfect weather with fresh spring gentle wind in Erbil city. The AAAK team joined thousands of peoples inside Minara Central Park in Erbil, it was very different day after we mixed two of worldwide astronomical events, ISAN 4 and Sun-Earth day with a very lovely day or holiday to whole Iraqi people which known as (Newroz) or (New Day) and it is representing the beginning of Spring or Vernal Equinox in March, 21. There were thousands of Iraqi Arabs and Iranian tourists and they joined us to looking at the three mini sunspots, Moon, Mars and Saturn. We explained the reason for all this! And what is the massage of ISAN events to the world…Yes, We can unite and loving each other…Still there is a chance to sharing the spirit of cooperation between each other, without thinking about color, language and cultures…That’s true, we are humans before without borders!.   The activity becomes more exciting with fireworks on the sky right over the skis of Minara during ISAN 4, and most of peoples who joined us asked about more of events like this, and sure, next Global Astronomy Month (GAM) will holding many of these kind of Astro-Popular carnivals very soon.                           

Attachments
 ISAN4-Erbil-fire works 2.JPG [365 KB] :: ISAN4,sUN-Earth Day 2010 and Newroz fireworks

2010 March 20. Spring Equinox.
2010 March 20-21. International Sidewalk Astronomy Night, a prologue of the Global Astronomy Month 2010.
2010 March 21. UNESCO’s World Poetry Day.

This can be a moment for the poetry of astronomy…

TO AWB AND GAM

-collective astropoem by SARM’s Astropoetry Master Club, Romania-

Infinite worlds cohabit in the Cosmos,
astronomers do not recognize borders,
a great gift of our times,
souls and stars,
astronomy with feelings,
breath giving birth to eternity,
source of wonderful dreams,
children of misunderstood stars,
astral travellers,
sprites playing with whirligig-planetariums,  
the sky shows itself to us in the same way,
we prescribe dust of stars,
planets dance around us,
let’s prowl by verse among the stars,
astropoetry brings harmony.

-Authors: Dominic Diamant, Victor Chifelea, Andrei Dorian Gheorghe, Iulian Olaru, Valentin Grigore, Maria Sima, Lucian Boboc, Costin Negoita, Gelu Claudiu Radu, Dan Mitrut, Elena Andreea Alecu, Adrian Sima, Ion(ut) Moraru, Zigmund Tauberg, Boris Marian (Mehr).

Note:
The text above is a collage composed of verses from a coming mini-anthology, and also an invitation to the sky lovers to express their feelings during the GAM through astronomical poems, for which there are two associated projects intending to add more beauty to the GAM:

-GAM Astropoetry Blog, edited by an American living legend of astropoetry, Robert L Eklund - soon, he will tell you more about it;
Bob has already made an introduction at
http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/index.php/projects/global-astronomy-month/gam360/project-blog/228-making-the-wonder-of-science-our-own.html

-and Astropoetry to the Global Astronomy Month 2010, by SARM’s Astropoetry Master Club and Friends,
a continuation of the great success Astropoetry to the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (nominated for the IYA2009 Mani Bhaumik Prize for Excellence in Astronomy Education and Public Outreach),
which represented an original chronology of that unique year
http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/astropoetrytoiya/

gave a Hymn to 100 Hours of Astronomy
http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/astropoetrytoiya/100ha.html

brought new visions about The World At Night
http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/astropoetrytoiya/summer.html

and whose page Galilean Poetry was a part of the “Outstanding Galilean Nights Event” Award Winner, a distinction received by SARM for the Targoviste festival of astronomy during 2009 October 22-24
http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/astropoetrytoiya/galileanpoetry.html

Astropoetry to the Global Astronomy Month 2010 includes two major moments:

1. A reading of international astropoetry in 2010 April 29th at the Admiral Vasile Urseanu Bucharest Municipal Observatory, in which there will be read astropoems composed and received during GAM 2010.

2. A web album that will be launched in the second half of May 2010 in Cosmopoetry - SARM and Friends
http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/

in which the astropoems from the reading will be combined with 4 kinds of images (1.astrophotography; 2.astronomical events; 3.authors of the texts, who are encouraged to take pictures with them especially near astronomical events, observatories or planetariums; 4.artworks) made during GAM 2010.

The deadline for submissions (images and astronomical poems in the English language for the reading and the web album; it is not a condition for those who send astropoems to send images too) is on April 25th.

Organizational team: Andrei Dorian Gheorghe (SARM) as coordinator, Valentin Grigore as President of SARM, Arlene Carol (U.S.A., residing in Turkey) and Robert L Eklund (U.S.A.) as counselors, Florin Stancu (SARM) as web designer-master and Alexandru Sebastian Grigore (SARM) as secretary.

Contact address:
vali.grigore@gmail.com    
 
Sky lovers from all over the world are called to send astropoems, after their preferences, to one of these two related projects, or to both of them (but different works).

For instance, SARM’s Astropoetry Master Club will contribute to Bob Eklund’s GAM Astropoetry Blog too, while Bob Eklund will be also a counselor of SARM’s project Astropoetry to the Global Astronomy Month 2010.

Have a happy Global Astronomy Month 2010,
Valentin Grigore and Andrei Dorian Gheorghe

Hi, greetings to all

My name is Ricardo A. Martinez and I live in Caracas - Venezuela, I am an amateur astronomer, collaborate and participate in some club and forums for amateur astronomers, in Venezuela: SUNA (UCV), GUIA-USB (USB), AV, and others and internationally at: LIADA, CIBERASTONOMOS, ANASA , and others. I look forward to working and collaborating with all this great worldwide family of AWB from Venezuela.

I wish you all clear skies, dark nights and bright stars

carefully

Ricardo A. Marrtinez - www.ram9.co.cc

hola saludos para todos

Mi nombre es Ricardo A. Martinez  y vivo en Caracas - Venezuela, soy astronomo aficionado, colaboro y participo en algunos club y foros de astronomos aficionados, en venezuela : SUNA (UCV), GUIA-USB (USB),  AV, e internacionalmente en : LIADA, CIBERASTONOMOS, ANASA, y otros. yo espero trabajar y colaborar con toda la gran familia mundial de AWB desde Venezuela.

les deseo a todos cielos claros, noches oscuras y brillantes estrellas 

atentamente

Ricardo A. Marrtinez - www.ram9.co.cc

Aloha Christopher!  It's GREAT to know that GAM will be happening at these very important, world-known sites.  And I'm not just talking about the summit of Mauna Kea but the visitors center is itself world-famous.  When you have something to report we will have a blog where you can post report and pictures.  I'm looking forward to seeing them.  I wish I could be there!

Mike Simmons

Aloha folks!

For the Global Month of Astronomy 2010, 'Imiloa Astronomy Center will be hosting several outreach events for the local community here on the Big Island of Hawai'i.

I am organising observing sessions and astronomical activities and fun both at 'Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo and also at the Onizuka Visitors Center on Maunakea, the worlds largest volcano and site of 13 of the most advanced observatories in the world.

I shall keep AWB updated as to what we are doing and hopefully provide some more info nearer the time (and lots of pictures obviously!). :)

Clear skies to you all!

Christopher

Hi Avivah,

  I just noticed your post on here.  How are you?  Atwhat latitude are you?  Would you and people in your group like to participate on a team that is looking for bright variable stars to use for a 10 star tutorial for the southern hemisphere for Citizen Sky?

  You may have seen my request on the AWB discussion board site.

Joan Chamberlin

Valentin and Dorian,

Thanks so much for letting us know about this! I'm really touched that this great section of Astropoetry to the International Year of Astronomy is dedicated to AWB. That means it's dedicated to all astronomers around the world who feel a connection with each other, just as you describe it.

Of course, I am personally really pleased that 100 Hours of Astronomy earned praise through poetry. Let it be an inspiration for GAM and beyond as well. If it can inspire poetic work like this then there is no limit!

Clear skies and friendship,

Mike

In January 2009, at UNESCO in Paris, we had the chance to meet Mike Simmons and to see his lecture on Astronomers Without Borders and the magnificent exhibition of The World At Night.
-We related about those events in
SARM at UNESCO-IAU-IYA under the Sign of Galileo
http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/sarmatunescoiauiyagalilei/

Afterwards, very impressed by the extraordinary 100 Hours of Astronomy project and the ideals of AWB (to unite sky lovers, amateurs and professionals, from all over the world, and to make them give their best for astronomy and the large public), the Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy (SARM) tried to add its own contribution to the International Year of Astronomy, mirrored in the 15th pages of the international project
Astropoetry to the International Year of Astronomy
http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/astropoetrytoiya/

As a form of gratitude, we dedicated the largest chapter of this project to AWB, at the 4th Quarter page
http://www.cosmopoetry.ro/astropoetrytoiya/4th.html

And we end this message with the complete variant of
Andrei Dorian Gheorghe’s
Hymn to 100 Hours of Astronomy


FROM GALILEO TO 100 HOURS OF ASTRONOMY

Life in the Cosmos has scopes
Better seen through telescopes!


AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 TELESCOPES

80 telescopes, sky meanings,
And incalculable feelings!


24-HOUR GLOBAL STAR PARTY

So much shine! How happy we are!
Today the Earth is quite a star!


100HA JUNIOR

Children and a telescope,
Closer dreams and much more hope.


100 HOURS OF REMOTE ASTRONOMY

Telescopes, computers, and skies.
Here and there, us, superior eyes.


SUN DAY

To the glory of Sun Day,
Sunspots are quiet. O.K.!!!


THE LEGACY OF 100HA

The certain way for human flight:
A future richer in starlight.


We wish all of you to have a Happy Astronomical Year 2010,
Valentin Grigore and Andrei Dorian Gheorghe

Hello Silverio,

Welcome!  The forum isn't very active these days.  I hope there will be more soon as we get more activities going.

What city is UNAM in?

Clear skies,

Mike

Hello everybody.

My name is Silverio Rainier Olivar Valverde, I am a student of physics and member of the Astronomical Society of the Faculty of Engineering of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (SAFIR-UNAM by its initials in Spanish), where I am currently director of outreach and external links.

I will be very happy to meet new friends, groups and societies to share experiences, photos, ideas and knowledge about the Universe.

I thank all those that enable AWB and from Mexico we wish them success, we are at your disposal and if anyone likes to visit us know that our home is your home.

We kept in touch, we wish you clear skies.

Hasta pronto

Silverio

We participated in the Dusk of IYA here in Pasay City Philippines last December 31, 2009. Free public viewing session was given from 7pm to 10pm infront of Astrocamp Observatory in SMBY Park in SM Mall of Asia Complex. Views of Jupiter and the Galilean satellites were given from Dusk to around 8:30pm then views of the Moon through an apochromat telescope was given up to 10pm. Live webcast of the event was done via www.justin.tv/medleeVideo clips of the event can be seen in that website. There were approximately 500 people that participated and we were blessed with clear sky all throughout the evening and then we proceeded to wait for the Partial Lunar Eclipse visible the next hour after the New Year Countdown in the SMBY Park (started at 1:15am Jan 1, 2010). Additional report regarding the eclipse can be seen at http://www.astroleaguephils.org

Attachments
 IMG_8687.JPG [698 KB] :: Free viewing of Jupiter & Galilean Satellites

  Hearts gathered, fillings and emotions erupted as a volcano! Its lava was (mixture of most beautiful memories of IYA2009) and the sound was (tenth of Salutes around the world), and then when it's becoming cold and solid, the result made (The Monument of Friends for Ever).   The sky was cloudy and rainy on December 31,2009, so the sun was singing the setting song behind drops of steam , but still we were able to listen of it's poems behind. There was no visible sun except its wonderful memories of past IYA2009 days.   There was a solution, using Stellarium Beta 10.0 software to simulating the real sun setting of that day. The mission was successes after we projected the Sunset of (Dusk of IYA2009) with a data show, members of AAAK and some guests arrived to AAAK's office in Erbil city at 04:00 pm local (13:00 GMT) and the processing began at 04:50:00 pm (16:50:00 GMT), then at 04:55:00 pm (16:55:05 GMT) the sun said Good Bye every one.   The participants was too happy and sad for all great goals that we all make it together around the world through IYA2009, and to leaving that year officially, but the promises was too strong and bright to continuing with the same road of programs of cooperation, friendship between all over partners of AWB and SW task group and made another bridges through the sky between us and finding new partner around the world probably wider than IYA2009.   After the event, clouds leaved the sky, and then IYA2009 carnival finished with a Partial Lunar Eclipse, magnificent scene was there between patches of clouds, it was just like a given from God to all of us, it was rally the last most beautiful ending for the movie of IYA2009…It was also a very good and encourages beginning to our activities on (Beyond International Year of Astronomy).                   By: Azhy Chato Hasan

Attachments
 Dusk of iya2009 -1.JPG [496 KB] :: Dusk of IYA2009 in Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Aloha all!

I'd like to take this oppourtunity to introduce myself.

My name is Christopher Phillips and I'm a UK national currently living and working in Hawai'i.

I'm an astronomy educator and planetarium professional.

I run the planetarium for Palestine and Iraq projects as an affiliate of AWB and IYA 2009. The aim of these projects is to introduce modern high-tech, astronomy and science learning aid facilities and technology to developing countries for the enrichment of education and public outreach.

These projects also aim to foster international relations and build lasting relationships through a mutual passion for education and developement.

The project is also expanding to include the wider Middle East, African and Central Asian regions.

If you would like to know more myself or the projects I run then please do not hesitate to contact me.

I wiish you all clear skies!

   By: Azhy Chato Hasan       Time returned it self back again with a very nice event which gathered us again between the beginning of cold and hot days of Northern hemisphere winter, and Southern hemisphere Summer solstice.Just like June 21, 2009, AAAK prepared it self for the 2nd version of SWB in Erbil city in Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Clouds began covering the morning blue sky and then there were showers too! So the Star party that we planned for has gone with the wind!But that was not the end of the story! We made presentations between 03:30 pm to 05:00 pm Iraqi local time about: 1. The Seasons without Borders event around the world. 2. The winter and Summer solstice.3. (Our Goals on IYA2009).This was a brief story about our whole events during IYA2009, began with Dawn of IYA2009 and hope it will be ending with Dusk of IYA2009 on December 31, 2009. There were journalists, students, reporters and Religion men participated on or last presentation of IYA2009, They really fascinated with this wonderful relationship and cooperation between Iraqi Kurdistan amateur astronomers with the other part of the world and making all these unforgettable events between each other. One big disappoint thing that happened to us was internet connection which was very bad during our event  and did not give us a little chance to made live Skype meeting with the other participants around the world, specially with Marcelo De Soza from Brazil after he arrange him self for that perfectly. On that evening, there was pretty unscheduled meeting between Azhy, Thilina, Mike Simmons and Marcelo! Each one of us described the SWB event on them countries and the weather conditions. We apologized again to Marcelo about failure to meting through internet, and there was pretty sport spirit from every body there! Now we are preparing our self to say (Good Bye IYA2009) though the final event of this busy wonderful year of astronomy with Dusk of IYA2009.  

Attachments
 SWB 1.JPG [280 KB] ::
 SWB 2.JPG [263 KB] ::
 SWB 3.JPG [237 KB] ::
 SWB 4.JPG [246 KB] ::
 SWB 9.JPG [319 KB] ::
 SWB 13.JPG [248 KB] ::
 Our Hononrary members.JPG [428 KB] ::

Thank you Mike for doing this. It makes me proud and happy, if I can do some contributions to this great virtual place on our planet. Today I expanded the report. The thrilling story of making a supernova dedection has to be documented. Even the funny detail during or observing session, that I asked Gianluca to make a LIVE-discovery ;-) ........ and the astonishing fact: he really did !!!

Greetings to all participants of this event & CLS

Joe