Join the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach for a 100-hour, round-the-clock, round-the-globe celebration of astronomy aimed at engaging as many people as possible – from children to seniors – with the sky and our astronomical surroundings. 

From 2 to 5 October 2024, the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) is teaming up with the International Planetarium Society (IPS) to continue the legacy of 100 Hours of Astronomy and celebrate 100 Years of the Planetarium! In 1923, the first planetarium projector was invented in Jena, Germany, and two years later, the first planetarium opened its doors in Munich. Between 2023 and 2025, the world celebrates the centennial of the planetarium and the countless ways they have impacted our society. 

With the increasing levels of light pollution worldwide, it is impossible to experience a truly dark sky in many places. Planetariums are then dark sky oases: sanctuaries for night sky enthusiasts, exposing the public to the Universe. Even in locations where skies are protected from city lights, planetariums are still powerful educational tools for understanding the Universe and our place within it. This year, we encourage everyone to visit their local planetarium – be it small, large, mobile or stationary – and be immersed in the wonders of our Universe.

The OAO and IPS hope to activate planetariums around the world to participate in this programme! Getting involved is easy:

1. Plan a special event during the time frame of 100 Hours of Astronomy, or identify some pre-existing shows you’d like to highlight during this time.

2. Download the media kit.

3. Promote your event alongside 100 Hours of Astronomy and try to bring as broad a public as you can under the dome!

While the 2024 100 Hours of Astronomy theme is 100 Years of the Planetarium, the spirit of this programme is to bring people together through the awe astronomy inspires within us all. We hope that people worldwide will spread their love for astronomy – be it under the dome or under our skies! 

Global Calendar of Events

To highlight all the amazing activities happening around the globe, we will promote a calendar of events displayed on a world map. We encourage you to share your events and participate in this year’s 100 Hours of Astronomy! If your event is open to the public, be sure to leave enough information for people to get involved – both in person and online! Be safe, be inclusive, and share your event with the world! Add your event at this link.

The first 50 planetariums to enter their information in our calendar will receive printed copies of the two special edition issues of the Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal dedicated to the centennial of the planetarium. 

Activity ideas

Do you need some ideas for your astronomy outreach event? Look through the community-driven ideas in our Office for Astronomy Outreach Toolkit. If you have developed or know of any exciting astronomy outreach activity format, please share it with the community. Additionally, you can look through last year's events at the 100 Hours of Astronomy 2023 page.

Let us share your work!

When spreading the word about your event on social media, be sure to use #100HoursOfAstronomy and #IAUoutreach so we can help promote your activity, too! All activities registered on our events calendar will be shared on the OAO social media channels.

Stay tuned to OAO’s (Facebook, X and LinkedIn) and the IPS social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn) as we release more information and resources leading up to the event. 

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organization 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.

The International Planetarium Society is a global association of planetarium professionals. Its nearly 500 members come from 50 countries representing schools, universities, museums, and public facilities. The goal of IPS is to support the sharing of ideas through conferences, publications, and networking. Our vision is to be a creative and supportive resource for innovation, advancement, and cooperation among planetariums. Our mission is to provide the planetarium community with professional development, science literacy and humanities awareness, innovative ideas, and partnerships to enhance the world’s appreciation of our universe. We also value science as a way of knowing, inclusivity of and respect for cultures, openness to new ideas, service excellence and leadership in our field.

Contacts

Kelly Blumenthal
OAO Director
Email: blumenthal.kelly@oao.iau.org 

Michael McConville
IPS President
Email: president@ips-planetarium.org

Lina Canas
IAU Membership Coordinator
Email: lina.canas@iau.org / iaupressoffice@iau.org