Daily Archives: January 7, 2020

An event described as the Super Bowl of astronomy kicks off Saturday in Honolulu as thousands of scientists descend on the Hawaii Convention Center for the biggest meeting of the year for American astronomers.

With the high-profile Thirty Meter Telescope controversy continuing to rage in Hawaii, it would be no surprise if the attendees are greeted by anti-TMT demonstrators.

Thats what happened four years ago when the worlds largest astronomy convention, the International Astronomical Union General Assembly, convened at the same venue.

This years convention, which runs through Wednesday, is the 235th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. More than 3,400 astronomers, educators and students are planning to take in numerous presentations, panels, lectures, town halls, exhibits and the unveiling of new discoveries.

Organizers said the meeting is shaping up to be the biggest and busiest in the societys 120-year history.

Anti-TMT organizer Laulani Teale said TMT opponents have asked the events organizers to let them address the convention.

We want to make sure the astronomers get the correct information, Teale said. We want them to know what it really means to align science with indigenous protection. Hopefully, we will find people who can understand that stopping the TMT is the first step in that alignment.

Teale said the convention hasnt responded to the request yet, but she did acknowledge it was made at the last minute.

Weve been a little busy on the mountain, she said.

For the last five months, protesters have been blocking Mauna Kea Access Road to prevent construction of the $1.4 billion project, planned as one of the worlds most powerful telescopes and highly anticipated within the astronomy community.

Last week Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim gave his personal guarantee there would be no attempt to move TMT equipment up the mountain to start construction in January or February, and the demonstrators agreed, moving to the side of the road.

According to the conventions web page, the American Astronomical Society plans to engage the controversy directly with a series of panels and presentations.

Among other things, there will be special sessions to discuss Innovative Collaborations of Integrity With the Hawaiian Community, The Many Facets of Hawaii Astronomy and Astronomy and Culture Best Practices for Systematic Transformation in an Increasingly Diverse and Interconnected Global Society.

No one who is directly involved in the ongoing protest appears to be involved in the sessions.

I hope they have a substantial dialogue about the TMT, science and the cultural aspect. You cant just look at it in a vacuum. The science needs to evolve into its own humanity, said Mauna Kea Hui leader Kealoha Pisciotta, a former Mauna Kea telescope technician.

In a news release, society President Megan Donahue of Michigan State University said the controversy is about much more than the construction of a new telescope on a mountain many Hawaiians consider sacred.

Its also about the historical mistreatment of indigenous people, the islands economy and many other complex and interrelated issues, she said.

There are a number of public events, including a talk called Physics of Po, by Larry Kimura, UH Hilos College of Hawaiian Language &Hawaiian Studies, and Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Executive Director Doug Simons. The Monday presentation explores the intersection of astronomy and Hawaiian culture by examining the first 11 lines of the 2,102-line Kumulipo, a 1,000-year-old Hawaiian creation chant whose name has been translated to beginning in deep darkness.

On Sunday evening University of Hawaii astronomer Roy Gal will host a free star party at Ala Moana Park featuring telescopic views of Hawaiis winter sky.

On Sunday UH Institute for Astronomy professor emerita Ann M. Boesgaard will present the Henry Norris Russell Lecture about her work using light-element abundances to test big-bang nucleosynthesis and to probe stellar structure and stellar evolution. Last year Boesgaard was awarded the 2019 Henry Norris Russell Lectureship, the societys top award, bestowed each year on the basis of a lifetime of eminence in astronomical research.

Read the rest here:

Thousands of astronomers are gathering in Honolulu as TMT discord looms - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Our Friday weekly round-up curates opportunities that are still open for applications. TheOpportunities portalaggregates job vacancies, internships, scholarships, calls for abstracts, fellowships, contests, exchange programmes and other opportunities that are available for Africans who are interested in space science and technology. Simply put, its an aggregator for space and astronomy-related opportunities for Africans.

Have you missed any opportunities this week? Check out the weekly round-up below:

IAU Open Call for Participation in the 2020 Open Astronomy Schools Project

To harness the vast skills in education, outreach, and inspiration of astronomy educators around the globe, IAU100 is launching a second call for proposals for the promotion of the Open Astronomy Schools (OAS) teacher training events in 2020.

The first Open Astronomy Schools call in 2019 received 100 proposals from 49 different countries. 20 proposals were selected to receive a small grant from IAU100, enabling the participation of hundreds of teachers in teacher training sessions around the world. In continuation of the first Teacher Training Call issued in early 2019, asecond callhas been launched for the IAU100Open Astronomy Schools(OAS) teacher training events to be offered during 2020.

The successful applicants will receive at least 12 telescopes kits to distribute to teachers attending the workshops. In total, up to 20 proposals will be awarded telescope kits. This call aims to promote innovative astronomy teacher training events following the criteria established for the OAS, with a special focus on practical astronomy.

The call for teacher training includes 250 telescope kits, kindly offered by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan telescope kit is a newly designed, easy-to-assemble kit produced by Vixen, Japan. The 50mm lens aperture and two eyepieces providing 16x and 66x magnification allow children and adults to observe the moon and planets in detail. The focuser barrel is compatible with standard 1.25 eyepieces. The kit also includes an adaptor that facilitates the use of smartphone cameras.

Each proposal will be reviewed by the OAS task force and the approved sessions will be eligible to use the OAS-IAU100 logo, to be announced in both IAU100 and OAS site and social media. Participants will be entitled to receive the OAS-IAU100 participation certificate and promoters the OAS-IAU100 ambassadors certificates.

The deadline to receive proposals is January 31, 2020.

Click IAU Open Call for Participation in the 2020 Open Astronomy Schools Project to apply and get further information

Application Open For A Space Weather Project Specialist at SANSA

The South African National Space Agency requires a project specialist for a period of three years to apply sound project management principles to the operational space weather centre project. The aim of the project is to move the limited operational space weather centre to a full 24/7 operational centre with all the identified products and services in place, the capability and knowledge strengthened and the required certification (which includes ISO 9001:2015) achieved. The project has already started and a number of mechanisms have already been applied. The incumbent will need to take these over.

The space weatherproject specialistwill be required to plan, budget, oversee and document all aspects of this project. The project specialist will have the overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of the project. The successful incumbent will also be required to assist in developing a marketing strategy and exploring funding opportunities for the centre.

Requirements:

Responsibilities will include:

Closing date: 24 January 2020

Click Application Open For A Space Weather Project Specialist at SANSA to apply and get further information

Nomination Open For 2020 Royal Society Medal & Award

The Royal Society Africa Prize is to recognize outstanding research scientists based in Africa who are making an innovative contribution to the sciences which contributes significantly to capacity building in Africa.

The winner will receive a bronze medal, accompanied by a 15,000 grant towards their research project and a gift of 2,000.

Awards open for nominations 2020 are:

Premier awards

Copley MedalThe worlds oldest scientific prize will be awarded in 2020 for outstanding achievement in any field of biological sciences. Open to international nominations.

Royal MedalsFor outstanding achievements in the biological, physical and applied sciences.

Croonian Medal and LectureThe premier lecture in biological sciences. Open to international nominations.

Bakerian Medal and LectureThe premier lecture in physical sciences. Open to international nominations.

EligibilityAwards are open to citizens of a Commonwealth country or of the Irish Republic or those who have been ordinarily resident and working in a Commonwealth country or in the Irish Republic for a minimum of three years immediately prior to being proposed. Three of our Premier Awards are open internationally and the Milner Award is open to European citizens and residents of 12 months or more.

Nominees cannot be members of the Royal Society Council, Premier Awards Committee, or selection Committees. If the award is externally funded, nominees cannot be employed by the organization funding the medal. Self-nominations are not accepted and members of the selection committee cannot nominate for their own awards.

Nominations are valid for three cycles of the award unless otherwise stated. Nominators are given the opportunity to update nominations in December each year.

TheTerms and Conditions(PDF)of the Royal Society Africa Prize should be read beforesubmitting a nomination.

Deadline: Nominations close on Monday 27 January 2020 at 3 pm.

Click Nomination Open For 2020 Royal Society Medal & Award to nominate and get further information

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Weekly Round-Up Of Space And Astronomy Opportunities For Africans - Space in Africa