2009: International Year of Astronomy
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) launched 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) under the theme, The Universe, Yours to Discover. IYA2009 marks the 400th anniversary of the first astronomical observation through a telescope by Galileo Galilei. It will be a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, with a strong emphasis on education, public engagement and the involvement of young people, with events at national, regional and global levels throughout the whole of 2009. UNESCO has endorsed the IYA2009 and the United Nations proclaimed the year 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy on 20 December 2007.
MPE/MPA press release International Year of Astronomy 2009 (in German)
MPE and other institutes of the Garching campus participate in the activities for IYA 2009 and have initiated own projects.
Cosmology Exhibition "Evolution of the Universe" in the Deutsche Museum
MPE and MPA Videos
Series of Articles in "Sterne und Weltraum"
Open House 2009
Girls' Day 2009
Opening Ceremony in Berlin on January 20, 2009
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Girls' Day 2009The MPE participated in the 2009 joint MPA/MPE Girls' Day (23/04/2009) with the objective of interesting young women in astrophysics and extraterrestrial physics and of encouraging them to decide for this male-dominated career.This event is part of an initiative on a national level which aims at giving girls insight into occupational fields which are very rarely chosen by women. At the MPE the girls conducted an experiment with plasma crystals, studied the light with spectrographs, constructed a mechanical device, and went on a guided tour to see a lab where some of the instruments that make our exciting science possible are built. Announcement (in German language) Girls' Day in Germany |
 Picture taken during the Girls' Day 2009 at MPE more pictures |
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Opening Ceremony in Berlin on January 20, 2009
| The MPE was joint organiser of the grand opening of the Year of Astronomy 2009 in the Museum of Communication in Berlin and showed a model of the X-ray telescope eRosita and information leaflets on the institute. In addition the model of the satellite will be part of a following longer-term exhibition organised by ESO at the same museum. The eROSITA model will also play a major role in the "Science Express" organised by the MPG, an exhibition on wheels which will travel through more than 60 German cities in 2009. report on the event (in German) |
 eRosita model |
 Ms Vongehr from MPE in discussion with visitors |