From 1 to 4 October 2022, the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) will hold a 100-hour, round-the-clock, global celebration of astronomy. The OAO is inviting everyone around the world to get involved in the event, which aims to engage as many people as possible with the sky and the wonders of our Universe.

This event will continue the legacy of celebrating 100 Hours of Astronomy, an initiative which began during the International Year of Astronomy 2009. For this year’s theme, the programme draws inspiration from the OAO’s motto, Astronomy for Everyone. It will celebrate the OAO’s 10th anniversary by inviting everyone — including amateur and professional astronomers, teachers, outreach professionals and astronomy enthusiasts — to come together as a community to help make astronomy more inclusive worldwide.

The 100 Hours of Astronomy project encourages the global community to host or participate in astronomy outreach events over these 100 hours. The goal is to enable as many people as possible of all ages to engage with the sky and gain a basic understanding of our astronomical surroundings. There are numerous creative possibilities for activities during these 100 hours, but the OAO particularly invites you to either organise a Meet the IAU Astronomers! meet-up or an outreach event as part of NameExoWorlds 2022.

Be safe [1], be inclusive and share your event on the OAO’s IAU Global Outreach Event Calendar!

Win a telescope and other prizes

15 of the events that best connect communities will win a telescope, as a special initiative of the Telescopes for All programme. The telescopes have been kindly donated by the OAO’s partners Sterren Schitteren Voor Iedereen (Stars Shine For Everyone — SSVI), Leiden University, and BRESSER. The first 100 events registered for 100 Hours of Astronomy will receive IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach goodies, including printed versions of the Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal. For your event to be eligible, submit it to the IAU Global Outreach Events via this form before 31 September 2022 at 23:59 your local time and implement the event during the 100 Hours of Astronomy (1–4 October your local time). More information on the contest can be found here.

When spreading the word about your event on social media, be sure to use #100HoursOfAstronomy and #IAUoutreach so the OAO can help promote your activity too!

Stay tuned to the OAO’s social media channels (Facebook and Twitter) as more information and resources will be shared there in the coming weeks.

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together more than 12 000 active professional astronomers from more than 100 countries worldwide. Its mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world's largest professional body for astronomers.

The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) is a joint project of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). The mission of the OAO is to engage the public in astronomy through access to astronomical information and communication of the science of astronomy. This is implemented through a network of IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs) and the IAU’s public engagement initiatives. The work of the OAO is about building bridges between the IAU and the global astronomy community of amateur astronomers, outreach professionals, educators, communicators, and the general public, and through international collaboration, to make the science of astronomy accessible to all.

Notes 

[1] Covid-19 Safety Measures. Please follow the health measures recommended by your country or local area when joining the 100 Hours of Astronomy activities.

Links

• IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach Homepage
• 100 Hours of Astronomy Homepage
• Stars Shine for Everyone
• Leiden University
• BRESSER

Contacts

Suzana Filipecki Martins
International Outreach Officer
Tel: +81 905 9477 087
Email: suzana.filipecki@oao.iau.org 

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Director of Communications
Cell: +1 520 461 0433/+49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars.christensen@noirlab.edu