L 'International Year of Astronomy has reached its conclusion and to celebrate the successes, astronomers and organizers gathered last weekend in Padova. The title of the closing conference, Beyond Astronomy 2009, embodies the hope that the network put together during this long year, made up of scientists, enthusiasts and people of each continent, could spread in the years to come.
It is no coincidence that the conference coincided with the exact anniversary of the first, revolutionary observations by Galileo of Jupiter's moons, the so-called Medici Lune, on or after January 7, 1610. In the same courtroom where Galileo, four centuries ago, had taught mathematics and physics in what was the freest university institution Italian side, were presented the most innovative and original initiatives of this project which saw 148 nations of the Earth involved in organizing events to raise public awareness to the rediscovery of the sky.
The lessons learned were many, and most of the projects, both globally and locally, under the able to continue in an unchanged or slightly different. One of the aims was to promote the Year of Astronomy astronomy in developing countries, using it as a means of motivation to study for young people but also to facilitate the teaching in schools and academia. Contributions leaders of the initiative in countries like Mozambique, Honduras, Egypt, India have shown that, with great dedication and (unfortunately) very limited funds, it was possible to achieve several significant results.
To maintain an extended network as well, perhaps one of the largest in the world in science communication, it takes constant effort and economic resources. But let dissolve the fruits of labor sown during 2009 is not on the agenda. "Hopefully we never have to hold closing ceremonies in the future," jokes Thomas Maccararo, president of the National Institute of Astrophysics, during his speech, hoping that it is only a year, but "Millennium Astronomy".
CLAUDIA MIGNONE
picture, one of the two original telescopes used by Galileo, presented at the conference in Padova Astronomy 2009 and Beyond usually kept at the Museum of the History of Science in Florence.
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