Garching bei Muenchen

Garching bei Muenchen - March 3- IYA 2009 meeting

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Leopoldo Benacchio

INAF

Italy & 2009 – A Progress Report


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2009: An Important Year for Italy

Celebration of the 4 th Centenary of Galilei “perspicillum”

2009: International Year of Astronomy

Celebration of the “250 Years” - Torino Observatory


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2009: Professional A&A in Italy

INAF = National Institutes for Astrophysics

12 Astronomical Observatories 7 Institutes for Radio & Space Astrophyiscs

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All the Researchers and Professors of Universities “associated” to INAF


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Galileo Cannocchiale: 1609-2009

Mainly in

Pisa, Padova, Firenze : the Galilei cities

A Committee has been appointed by the Central Administration ( Ministry of Culture ) : Universities, Mayors, INAF etc.


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Galileo Cannocchiale II

What are they discussing?

Celebrations, meetings, statues, books etc.

An accademical approach, mainly but not only “astronomical”


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Within this framework

An important Firenze Project

- The “Torre delle Stelle” Museum

- The “Il Gioiello” villa


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The “Torre delle Stelle”

An ancient building in the Arcetri hill, very close to Observatory and to il Gioiello (Galileo last house)


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The Torre delle Stelle Project

A Museum of modern and contemporary Astrophysics


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The Torre delle Stelle Project II

Feasibility study : ok

Several local Institutions interested in

Waiting for money …


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The Il Gioiello The splendidGalileo Villahas beenperfectlyrestored andwill be used byObservatory(INAF) ,University &FlorenceMuseoDella Scienza


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The 2009 I(NAF)YA initiatives

Several “local” initiatives discussed in important “astronomical” areas:

Torino is a Focus point because of the 250° anniversary of the foundation in 2009

Bologna, Palermo, Catania, Milano, Padova


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Milano 2009: the Brera Observatory

Actions with schools: laboratories & several other initiatives

Collaboration with the “Accademia” of Brera: Art & Astronomy (already running, will end in 2009)

An “astronomical” pièce with a local teather


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Padova 2009

A (local but) international Prize for A&A (city of Padova+INAF+University)

Working on “Street Science”


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PADOVA – (VERY) POPULAR ASTRONOMY

They are working on a new concept:

To Approach & Interact with plenty of people in the big (mostrous … ) shopping centers


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A new or an heretical approach ?

Street food


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A new (or an heretical) approach?

Street art


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A new or an heretical approach ?

Why not street science ?


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A proposal of an “outsider”

SENDING GALILEO TO THE MOON a proposal of Paolo Amoroso, Science scholar & writer

Sending to the Moon a tiny fragment of an object owned or used by Galileo.

The fragment might be stored in a small container, installed with minimal modifications on an unmanned space probe already scheduled for launch.

Examples of fragment sources: • needle-like, few mm long wood fragment of the floor or furniture of a

place where Galileo lived • tiny piece of paper from one of Galileo's manuscripts or books (e.g.

square with a side a few mm long)


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A proposal of an “outsider” - II SENDING GALILEO TO THE MOON

Container weight: a few tens of grams at most

Container volume: a few cm^3

Possible lunar probe: LRO - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA), scheduled for launch in late 2008

Prior art:

- ashes of planetary scientist Gene Shoekamer brought to the Moon on Lunar Prospector (NASA); protests from religious groups –

- sample of red Ferrari paint sent to Mars on board Mars Express (ESA)


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A proposal of an “outsider” - summary

SENDING GALILEO TO THE MOON

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1 sq mm


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Proposal as a National Institute

• We are discussing concepts on IYA2009

• What we want to communicate with the initiatives ?

• What the public, especially young people, want to know about or from us ?

• Schools as “privileged public”


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Alla Scoperta del Cielo!

We presently manage a network of 800 classrooms each year connected via the Internet, web & radio


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What we are proud to offer

Starting or ending of the IYA2009 !

An example :

Where ? In “Prato della Valle” Square

Why ? Very close to Galileo house & “observing site” (300 m.)


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MarienPlatz

5.000 sq. m.

Prato della Valle is VERY big …

90.000 sq. m.


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Trafalgar Square

12.000 sq m.


90.000 sq. m.


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Piazza San Pietro

30.000 sq. m.


90.000 sq. m.


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Place de la Concorde

40.000 sq .m.


90.000 sq. m.


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Prato della Valle is beautiful


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Designing the happening…

We have to think to a fresh, young, interesting, modern astronomical “event”

Especially focused on kids: one child from each World nation

They will “observe” the moon, Jupiter and the milky way in the same way of Galileo


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Designing the happening II

Other more obvious activities : remote observing on megascreen, conferences, star party etc.

Cost : .4 - .5 M €

To be discussed with the city administration for funding, no lights for a night, organization etc.


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Galileo is already in looking at the sky


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Really? An international Year of Astronomy!

Garching bei Muenchen - March 3- IYA 2009 meeting 1 Leopoldo Benacchio INAF Italy & 2009 – A Progress Report.

Documents

inaf slide

padova slide

astronomical slide

long slide

house slide

money slide

street art slide