[Capjournal] CAPjournal #5 is out!

[Pedro Russo]

Dear Friend,

Welcome to the first CAPjournal issue of  2009, the International Year 
of Astronomy!
http://www.capjournal.org/issues/05/index.php

Assuming you haven't been living in a cave or anywhere equally remote 
for the past few months, you will be keenly aware of the International 
Year of Astronomy 2009, a global celebration of astronomy and its 
contribution to scientific development and cultural enrichment. 
Organised by the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO, it has 
been many years in the making. Now is the time to celebrate! However, we 
astronomy communicators have the responsibility to make this year an 
example to follow throughout 2009 and beyond.

The European astronomical community has recently put together an 
unparalleled strategic plan for European Astronomy, the ASTRONET 
Infrastructure Roadmap. This lays out long-term scientific and 
investment plans for European astronomy over the next 10--20 years. This 
time education and public outreach (EPO) were not forgotten, and they 
play a major role in the document. A group of European experts analysed 
the current status of EPO in Europe and outlined a list of 
recommendations to implement over the coming years and decades. Working 
side by side with research, public outreach will require an effective 
synergy of resources across Europe and beyond. In this issue we 
reproduce the subchapter dedicated to Public Outreach. IYA2009 may 
represent the first real step towards the strategic goals laid down by 
the ASTRONET panel. The full, and very interesting, report may be found 
at www.astronet-eu.org.

Winds of change are already blowing across Europe. Last year the 
European Commission awarded its Science Communication Prizes to three of 
the most influential astronomy communicators in Europe, Jean-Pierre 
Luminet, Communicator of the Year, Peter Leonard in the Category of 
Audiovisual Documentary of the Year for his programme, Most of our 
Universe is Missing, and Nuno Crato, finalist in the category Science 
Communicator of the Year, a Portuguese mathematician and an astronomy 
enthusiast. In this issue we have the pleasure of sharing with you some 
tips from the 2007 Science Communicator of the Year in Europe, in an 
interview with Jean-Pierre Luminet.

Also in this issue, Daniel Kunth provides useful insights into the 
long-lived tumultuous relationship between astronomy and astrology, Greg 
Martin shares with us his know-how in space art, and Emily Lakdawalla 
summarises upcoming Solar System missions.

Between issues you can stay in touch through our website, 
www.capjournal.org, where you will find the current issue in PDF format, 
a job bank, submission guidelines
and back issues. You can also post anything you have to say on the site 
or e-mail me at editor at capjournal.org. I'd like to know what you think!

Happy reading and a successful 2009,

Pedro Russo (editor at capjournal.org)
Editor-in-Chief, CAPjournal
IAU & ESA/Hubble

Lars Lindberg Christensen (lars at eso.org)
Executive Editor, CAPjournal
ESA/Hubble & IAU

-- 
_________________________________________________
Pedro Russo
International Year of Astronomy 2009 Coordinator
Editor-in-Chief CAPjournal
International Astronomical Union
e. prusso at eso.org  
p. +49 (0) 89 320 06 195
f. +49 (0) 89 320 06 703
w. www.astronomy2009.org / www.capjournal.org
a. IAU IYA2009 Secretariat
ESO education and Public Outreach Department
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2
D-85748 Garching bei München
Germany

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