European Association for Astronomy Education

Credit: NASA Science News

The key to unraveling the mysterious cause of Alzheimer’s disease may not lie in the recesses of the human brain, but rather in the weightless expanse of space.

Source: ESA

This year ESA is once again organising a summer workshop for secondary school teachers of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related subjects. The workshop  will be held at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), located in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, from 21 - 25 July 2014. (learn more)

Source: ESO

The Astronomical Observatory of the Aosta Valley

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) and its Science Outreach Network is collaborating with the science communication event organiser Sterrenlab to arrange the first ESO Astronomy Camp. The camp will take place from 26-31 December 2013 at the Astronomical Observatory of the Aosta Valley, located in Saint-Barthelemy, Nus, Italy. Several partners, including ESO, are providing for a total of, so far, five bursaries that will be awarded to the winning applicants.(read more @ESO)

St.Cronans Stargazers Astronomy Club Bray Co Wicklow with Vatican Astronomer Br Guy Consolmagno and Deirdre Kelleghan
Image Bernard Kelleghan

St Cronans National School Bray had a very special visitor on Wednesday March 20. None other than the Vatican Astronomer Br Guy Consolmagno SJ. Originally I had invited him to drop in and shake hands with St Cronans Stargazers our astronomy club, but he very generously offered to give a talk on astronomy for the whole school. 500 boys and their teachers were treated to a wonderfully pitched talk about the Vatican Observatory, the pope’s interest in the subject, the wonders of astronomy and all things that give joy in the vast universe in which we live.

The boys asked very intelligent questions, Br Guy gave them a listening ear, and his answers inspired and intrigued the entire audience. Br Guy Consolmagno SJ is an American research astronomer and planetary scientist at the Vatican Observatory. He presented Principal Maeve Tierney with  a signed copy of his famous book Turn Left at Orion for the school library.

Br Guy was delighted to visit Bray, after lunch in the Martello and a walk on the prom he dipped his hands in the Irish Sea, a rare moment for him in his busy global speaking schedule.

I first met Br Guy back in 2005 at the Whirlpool Star Party, at the time I had no clue who he was but we had a warm conversation about binoculars and observing. I was invited to this premier event  to give a talk about  Enceladus ( one of Saturn’s ice moons) and found out  next day that Guy was there to deliver a talk about Turn Left at Orion.

We met up again during International Year of Astronomy 2009. Br Guy was on a speaking tour in Ireland. The first of his talks was at the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies and Dunsink Observatory, followed by Gonzaga College.  We then continued on to COSMOS (Now - Irelands leading Star Party) in Tullamore and then to Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork. If my memory serves me right, Br Guy delivered six different talks in five days to varying audiences. Everyone of them was a polished gem in communicating the science and wonder  of astronomy.  

RESIDENTIAL COURSE OF ASTRONOMY
for teachers, parents, fans and curious.

The course is held by Nicoletta Lanciano, Giovanna Armando, Oreste Brondo, Luca Mingarelli, Rita Montinaro, Marina Tutino

Topics of the course:

1 Teaching of Astronomy, Astronomy in Padova, history of Astronomy
2 Observation and perception of space, active training, songs related to the location and themes
3 Narration of myths

Time: from Thursday, April 11, at 5:00 p.m., to Sunday, April 14, 1:00 p.m.;
However, you can participate from Friday April 12, at 5:00 p.m.

Location: Hotel VALBRENTA (P.zza Diaz, 30 – 35010 LIMENA (Padova) and Padova city

Note:
participants are asked to bring pencil, eraser, scissors, glue stick, ruler, compass, comfortable, warm clothing to work outdoors…

Certificate
At the end of the course you will receive a Certificate of Attendance for up to 28 hours
The following program (for laboratories) is only a draft, subject to changes

1. From Tom Thumb to Mercatore

2. Traveling with Herodotus

3. See the Town from Above

4. From the narrated text to map design

5. terrestrial and celestial globes inside and outside

6. The song of Odysseus

7. The fire tales

The presence of a "distinguished" guest is expected.

INFORMATION
Entries are limited and will be accepted in order of arrival.
Discounts for students and MCE members.
The presence of non-Italian is favored by individualized helps.

Cost: The course is totally self-financed and its cost is € 280 for 4 days and € 230 for three days. The cost is € 190 for those who are independent for sleeping, although we recommend the residency.

CALL FOR A RESERVATION:
NICOLETTA LANCIANO tel 0039 06 86899590
mobile 0039 3332859833
AND SEND TO: nicoletta.lanciano@tin.it THE APPLICATION FORM which is also found in the site www.mce-fimem.it

NOTE The enrollment must be confirmed with the payment of a deposit of 90 € with a postal order addressed to:
NICOLETTA LANCIANO
IBAN it98x0760103200000087478004
specifying Corso di astronomia Padova 2013, before 15 March 2013. The deposit will be refunded only if the cancellation - promptly communicated – can be replaced.

3rd class girls St Pauls Senior Girls NS Greenhills Dublin 12
We built the sun at school

3rd class girls St Pauls Senior Girls NS Greenhills Dublin 12
We built the sun at school

St Pauls Senior Girls National School in Greenhill’s Dublin 12 is just a few minutes’ walk from the house where I grew up.  It was fortuitous to have the opportunity to carry out my third Action Sun for a school in this area.

On June 25th 47 young girls from third class, took part in building the sun. This was a very positive group all eager to get going and get busy. Streamers of orange and red paper flew through the air in vast amounts. In a short time the photosphere began to grow in the schools courtyard.

The activity of Action Sun supports the school curriculum in its art as it uses mixed media to create the sun. The program uses paint and paper to convey activity and explosive movement on the solar disc. Action Sun also supports primary school art as it enables children to use the characteristics of the materials to make structures and features on the solar disc. Making the sun in this way is both creative and explorative. Learning a little science through the arts facilitates the use of many kinds of intelligences.  The learning process in the making is as valuable as the finished suns. Textures and spatial   organisation also comes into the creation of this work. The girls at St Pauls School were very good at working as a group, helping each other out. They also made good decisions during the activity which showed they were an excellent team. This is kinesthetic learning, learning by doing.

Action Sun compliments science in the primary school curriculum on several levels.   A short information talk in between making the suns features informs the children about our suns role in the solar system. We talk about the scale of the sun and the Earth. We talk about the energy of the sun and its function in relation to the other planets.  The mini talks make sure that the children understand that the sun is our main source of heat and light.  By building the sun the children learn by hands on investigation. The children literally explore the physical features of the sun with their hands in mini scale. A quick review of the evaluation sheets shows the quality of the learning. Several children not only drew sketches of the complex sun but also put in arrows to the different features and labelled them all correctly. The action of throwing the paper was very popular, signing their names was also a highlight and for some children carrying the sun into the hall was the stand out moment of the day.

When I look at the sun in my solar telescope I see a huge amount of detail and very often in the past I have shared that view with children. However it takes a long time to show this view to a large group as the sun presents as a small disc with tiny features. It is difficult for children to comprehend the enormous scale of our nearest star.  I put Action Sun together to bridge that gap and help more people achieve some understanding of this wonderful star in safety with a big fun element.

The features of the sun itself were totally new to this young group, but at the end of the programme words like photosphere, chromosphere, filaments, prominences and sunspots were all a little more familiar. We closed our eyes at the end of the build and held our faces up to the sun to feel its heat and remind ourselves that it takes eight minutes for its light to get to us here on Earth, a 93 million mile smile. Building the sun took about 90 minutes. The 7.9 X 4.9 meter tarpaulin was pre prepared at home using four litres of matte black masonry paint. During  the activity we used approx 3,500 individual pre cut  pieces of crepe paper ,15 litres of washable  PVA glue, 6 litres of yellow paint , 1 litre of red paint,  plus the energy of forty seven eight and nine year old third class girls.

My thanks to Sarah Jayne Reid for setting up Action Sun at St Pauls and to Phil Curran for all her efforts prior to, during and post the build. Thanks to Ms Keating, Ms Daly and Principal Sr Maureen for their support during the activity.  NASA Sun Earth Day bookmarks, posters and other educational material were provided to the teachers.  The solar feature data for this Action Sun was an observation of the disc made from my PST earlier that morning.  The Solar Dynamics Observatory website was pointed out to the girls so they could continue to watch the sun safely.

More images on my blog here

Whats Up for July 2012 from Jane Houston Jones

Source: NASA Science Casts

"Find a Sundial...Show it to us!" project has announced the winners of the Sundial Contest for the school year 2011-2012.

Group competition has been awarded to a school in Spain, while individual competition has been awarded to a Bulgarian student.

Learn more about the competition, the winners and see a gallery of sundials from this year's contest at http://www.eaae-astronomy.org/sundials-project/.

Submitted by Laura Abati

The Galileian School of Higher Education is the possibility for some excellent students, selected by admission tests, to live in a very stimulating contest. Tutors, seminars, special internal courses, cultural exchanges, computer facilities should promote their personal and cultural better formation.

The goal is to allow, following the example of Galileo, an integrated learning method in order to form a highly qualified international group.

The School, is inspired by Galileo who was not only great Astronomer and mathematician, but also a fine philosopher and a man of literature, has beside a scientific group and a humanist.

The location is in an old noble building in the town of Padua. Students can live there (single rooms) and all the facilities are FREE.

The conditions and results are very good in the university and inners courses ( media Marks >- 27/30 , single examination>-24/30)

Each year 24 students are admitted. Up to now there are only Italian students but the new actual director , prof. Cesare Barbieri, will be glad to receive also some European students.

The GS has been active for 6 years but isn't spreadly known. Teachers should tell their students about this unique opportunity.

The main points that have to be fulfilled by the applicant is the he/she must be/have :

• Excellent student
• European
• Age < 22
• Enrolled at Padua university for the first time in scientific ( not only Astronomy) or humanistic courses
• Entrance examinations in English for not Italian students

TheGalilean School offers

• FREE accommodation ( single rooms) and
• FREE facilities ( tutors, seminars, internal courses , computer)

Attention: The APPLICATION DEADLINE is September, 2012.

Link:
Galileian School of Higher Education

As the city gears up for Dublin: City of Science 2012, we take a journey with amateur astronomer and artist Deirdre Kelleghan whose equal passion for science and art is demonstrated in her work. Deirdre is a Discover Science and Engineering Science Ambassador 2012, Vice Chair of the Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies, National Co-ordinator for Astronomers Without Borders, as well as being UNAWE rep in Ireland. Deirdre will also be contributing to the Dublin City Public Libraries programme of events for Dublin: City of Science 2012.

The city on a sun drenched day.  The Spire reflects and swirls the vibrant life of Dubliners mingled with mirrored   clouds and the dominant blue light from our nearest star. Flower sellers petals are jollied by the brightness.  Mica within the Liffey’s walls sparkle; ice cream melts down smiling faces. Celtic skin hovers in winters long lost vitamin, a gift from the sun, 93 million miles from the city. We enjoy our sophisticated fully functioning star, down here on one of the left over bits from its formation.

When we analyse light from our sun or any star we can see the arrangement of elements within its spectra.  Looking into a star’s pattern of elements is like looking at the code of that star, its personal finger print, its DNA.  Humans are bound together by the same elements which were created during   the birth and death of stars. Our essence is ultimately recycled throughout unimaginable eons of time, black space and accreted molecular clouds.

Read More here On Life and Light full version

Submitted by Laura Abati

The Galileian School of Higher Education is the possibility for some excellent students, selected by admission tests, to live in a very stimulating contest. Tutors, seminars, special internal courses, cultural exchanges, computer facilities should promote their personal and cultural better formation.

The goal is to allow, following the example of Galileo, an integrated learning method in order to form a highly qualified international group.

The School, is inspired by Galileo who was not only great Astronomer and mathematician, but also a fine philosopher and a man of literature, has beside a scientific group and a humanist.

The location is in an old noble building in the town of Padua. Students can live there (single rooms) and all the facilities are FREE.

The conditions and results are very good in the university and inners courses ( media Marks >- 27/30 , single examination>-24/30)

Each year 24 students are admitted. Up to now there are only Italian students but the new actual director , prof. Cesare Barbieri, will be glad to receive also some European students.

The GS has been active for 6 years but isn't spreadly known. Teachers should tell their students about this unique opportunity.

The main points that have to be fulfilled by the applicant is the he/she must be/have :

• Excellent student
• European
• Age < 22
• Enrolled at Padua university for the first time in scientific ( not only Astronomy) or humanistic courses
• Entrance examinations in English for not Italian students

TheGalilean School offers

• FREE accommodation ( single rooms) and
• FREE facilities ( tutors, seminars, internal courses , computer)

Attention: The APPLICATION DEADLINE is September, 2012.

Link:
Galileian School of Higher Education

Source: ESA

The International Space Station (ISS) in 3D.
Image credits: ESA/NASA.

In space, astronauts learn to live and work in three dimensions. Now you can experience space with an extra dimension with ESA’s collection of 3D images. (read more)

The Polish branch of European Association for Astronomy Education is inviting all members of EAAE to the second POLISH EAAE SUMMER SCHOOL that will be organize between July 2nd and July 6th, 2012. The organisation  offers free accomodation in bungalows belonging to Youth Astronomical Observatory (MOA) in Niepolomice. It is a small nice town 15 km from Cracow - the main tourist target in Poland.

The main aim of the meeting is to create possibility to exchange ideas and experiences concernig astronomy education at all school levels. We will have free access to small telescopes and planetarium in MOA. Workshop on astrophotography is also planned.

An official confirmation will be given to all participants.

Some lectures and workshops will be on English. During the activities on Polish you will be free to see very interesting places in Cracow and nearby (for example the university building Copernicus studied in).

The bungalows are not specially comfortable (although with shower and small kitchen) but there are good hotels in Niepolomice and you are free to book a room at your own expense.

If you would like to join this summer school just send an email to

 obserwatorium(małpa)wp.pl specifying:

1. your name and country
2. your workplace
3. date of your planned arrival and departure
4. preferred accomodation (free bungalows or hotel on your own espence)
5. your proposals and expectations concernig the meeting.

Learn more about this Summer School at http://lo2.nazwa.pl/obserwatorium/summer_school2012.html

Odysseus is a European project, co-founded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme, in the Space area for ” Studies and events in support of European Space Policy”.

Space exploration advances our knowledge, allows us to understand and protect our planet better and provides the opportunity to discover the answers to fundamental questions about the history of Earth, the origin of life, the Solar System and the Universe. In other words space exploration is pushing forward the limits of our knowledge and is engaging and inspiring the public in the “New Frontier”. The Odysseus project aims exactly at engaging and inspiring the European youth in the “New Frontier”, by implementing a pan-European Scientific Contest for young people on Space exploration themes, combining creativity, intelligence and innovation.

The project, which started on 1st November 2011 and will last for 18 months, aspires to integrate ongoing educational activities on science in a pan-European perspective, providing the opportunity for young pupils to compete with their peers from different European countries. This action is also enhancing the concept of multinational cooperation, an element necessary in space exploration field. All participants have to be between 14 to 18 years old and in order to submit their entry will have to create a collaborative team, which would design and demonstrate an innovative project in one of the contest’s themes.

The total budget of Odysseus project is € 335,000, with approximately € 300,000 financing by the European Commission.

Odysseus webpage: http://www.odysseus-contest.eu/?page_id=196

Source: ESA

The astronauts Don Pettit (left) and André Kuipers
(right) watch two SPHERES robots in competition.
Image credit: NASA

School teams from Europe and America have been commanding robots competing in the Spheres ZeroRobotics tournament in space. The arena: 400 km above Earth on the International Space Station.(read more)

Moon artists at Our Lady of the Wayside National School

Deirdre Kelleghan

Bluebell,  what a lovely fresh word evoking joy, wonder and energy. These were the qualities I found in the children who took part in Deadly Moons at their school in west Dublin on Tuesday September 27th.   This group had multicultural backgrounds, Irish Travellers, Irish, Polish, African the Philippines and other communities were represented in their little faces.

The woman in the Moon ( adapted )  from a Traveller legend was one of the stories I told about the full Moon. I used Peter Riesett’s   black and white harvest Moon image to put over this story as his photograph  clearly illustrated the Woman in the Moon hidden in the lunar maria very well indeed.  Several children were captivated by this story which I found on The Barefoot Pavee website.   I like to tell tiny stories about various moons in the presentation as children listen and retain stories better than just plain facts.

Once again Saturn’s moon Tethys was a must do for some children, while the image of our Moon in false colour prompted many positive vocal gasps. Lennox was very keen to try to draw the harvest moon in black and white including the Woman in the Moon. Eddie age 9 was such a busy helpful  boy, he produced an energetic drawing of our moon in false colour including Tycho and its rays. Ben age 8 created a gorgeous subtly shaded moon in false colour and added an explosive Tycho crater ray system afterwards.  There was great variety in the drawings produced   by this group , Atlas by Aaron age 8 , Callisto by Saviour , First Quarter Moon by Alannah age 9 and a half, all wonderful drawings !!

The entire group were very engaged, there was a lot of energy in the room all going into the drawings and the learning.  As each moon was finished they were put on display until all the work was on the wall, looking great.

Our Lady of the Wayside National School is under the DEIS scheme and benefits in many ways because of it.  Creativity in the Classroom facilitator Liz McMahon  invited me to run my workshop for the children of Ms.Dalton's 3rd and 4th and Ms. McDermott's 3rd and 4th classes. The school also had an excellent audio visual set up, this is one of the many extra‘s this school has at its disposal because it is in a designated disadvantaged area.

Liz McMahon  is intending over the next few weeks to build on what the children have learnt and continue to create drawings and creative works inspired directly from their experiences at my workshop. Our Lady of the Wayside National School Bluebell Dublin

Moon cards provided by Jane Houston Jones JPL/NASA were given to each child. Educational outreach material which was also provided by JPL/NASA was given to each teacher for the classroom.

A few children who lived near the school were invited to talk to me after the workshop to see how it all went for them.  The interview is here, unedited just the way it unfolded, some quiet children, some very vocal children, all little gems.

Video

Deadly Moons Drawing Workshop in Bluebell Dublin an informal chat with some of the children

Source: ESA and YouTube

On October 10th, ESA, JAXA of Japan and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) joined the launch of 'YouTube Space Lab', an exciting campaign initiated by YouTube, NASA, Space Adventures and Lenovo that challenges students around the world to design a science experiment for the International Space Station.

The winning experiments will be conducted in space on the International Space Station (ISS), making it the Universe's largest science lesson, streamed live for the world to see via YouTube.

Space Lab is part of a larger YouTube effort, aimed at providing educators access to the wealth of educational content available on YouTube. Individually or in groups of up to three, students aged 14–18 years may submit a YouTube video describing their experiment to www.youtube.com/spacelab.

A panel of prestigious scientists, astronauts and teachers, including the renowned Professor Stephen Hawking, astronauts Frank De Winne, Samantha Cristoforetti and Timothy Peake of ESA, NASA’s Leland Melvin, Akihiko Hoshide of JAXA, Chris Hadfield of CSA and Cirque du Soleil’s founder Guy Laliberté, will judge the entries with input from the YouTube community. Six regional finalists will gather in the USA in March 2012 to experience a zero-gravity flight and receive other prizes. (Go to SpaceLab Contest webpage)

Source: NASA News Release

NASA has released an interactive, educational video game called NetworKing that depicts how the Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) network operates. The release of the video game coincides with the close of World Space Week, Oct. 4-10.

Developed by the Information Technology Office at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., NetworKing gives players an insider's perspective into how astronauts, mission controllers and scientists communicate during space missions. (see game)

Source: UNAWE Press Release

In a one-week special, Space Scoop will release daily reports for children aged 8+ that highlight the exciting discoveries announced at the European Planetary Science Congress and Division for Planetary Science (EPSC-DPS) 2011 meeting, held in Nantes, France, from 2-8 October 2011. By sharing the latest research with children, Space Scoop aims to bring astronomy to life.

EU-Universe Awareness (EU-UNAWE), which brings you Space Scoop, is asking primary school teachers from around the world to use the releases as the basis for a week-long series of lessons about our Solar System. The final day of EPSC-DPS 2011 coincides with International Observe the Moon Night, which offers many additional educational resources.Since EU-UNAWE launched Space Scoop in February 2011, press releases produced by the European Southern Observatory and the NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory have been translated into child-friendly language. EU-UNAWE is now pleased to welcome Europlanet – one of the organisers of EPSC-DPS 2011 – as its newest Space Scoop partner organisation.

With Space Scoop reporters at the conference, EU-UNAWE is welcoming educators and children to submit questions about planetary science via email, Twitter or Facebook. The Space Scoopers will track down the relevant astronomers to find the answers to as many of your questions as possible. Please email your questions to info@unawe.org. Questions via Twitter should be sent to @unawe and include the hashtag #SpaceScoop You can also use our Facebook page to ask questions: facebook.com/unawe

More information: http://www.unawe.org/updates/unawe-update-1134/