| 2009 was the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). Worldwide,
observatories, professional and amateur astronomers, as well as schools and libraries
engaged in a variety of astronomy-related public events. The Mauna Kea Observatories
organized a lot of educational and fun events for the Big Island. Big Island IYA Events Flyer Galileo Block Party ( main website, opening photos, entertainment photos, activities photos, JAC photos) Cosmic Poster Contest, Images Mauna Kea Brand Astronomy Trading Cards Directors' Lecture Series Galileo Teacher Class "Stars Over Mauna Kea" Hawai`i Tribune-Herald Astronomy Supplement 2009 CFHT Library International Year of Astronomy Special International IYA Projects 400 Years of the Astronomical Telescope poster International Year of Astronomy 2009 (International Site) International Year of Astronomy 2009 (US Site). |
| Date | Event | Participant(s) and/or Sponsor(s) | ||
| 2009 | ||||
| 01/03 | : | The Universe Tonight at MKVIS | : | Canada-France-Hawai`i Telescope |
| 01/04-08 | : | American Astronomical Society Meeting (Long Beach, CA) | : | AAS/UC |
| 01/10 | : | Re-SELT scientist/engineer teaching workshop at IfA-Maui (flyer, reg-form) | : | CfAO, Keck, IfA-Maui |
| 01/15 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | George Raiche, NASA Ames, Shuttle Columbia Investigation |
| 01/15 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Kalepa Baybayan (Imiloa Master Navigator) |
| 01/15 | : | Dark Sky Star Party at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (local IYA 2009 kick-off) | : | UHH-IfA, MKVIS |
| 01/17 | : | Begin of Cosmic Poster Contest (more details here) | : | MKOOC, KTA (stay tuned for updates) |
| 01/17 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at 'Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Kalepa Baybayan (Imiloa Master Navigator) |
| 01/22 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Dan Rasky, NASA Ames, Entrepreneurial Science |
| 01/23 | : | AstroTalk | : | David Sanders, UH-IfA, "Galactic Cannibalism" |
| 01/24 | : | Onizuka Science Day at UHH | : | University of Hawai`i at Hilo |
| 01/29 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Peter Schultz, Brown U., Kinetic Re-entry |
| 02/05 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | David Morrison, NASA Astrobiology Inst., Near Earth Objects |
| 02/05-13 | : | Journey Through The Universe | : | JTTU Team |
| 02/07 | : | The Universe Tonight at MKVIS | : | James Clerk Maxwell Telescope |
| 02/09 | : | AstroCafe Chat at Borders Books in Hilo (5-7pm, see the poster here) | : | JTTU Team, MKOOC |
| 02/12 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Jim Ryder, Lockheed-Martin, Industry Partnering |
| 02/12 | : | AstroTalk | : | Kevin Grazier, JPL, "Jupiter as a Sniper Rather than a Shield" (JTTU Talk) |
| 02/14 | : | District Science Fair at `Imiloa | : | `Imiloa, DOE |
| 02/19 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Tom Crabbe, Orbital Technologies Corp., Lunar Regolith |
| 02/19 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Christian Veillet (CFHT) |
| 02/21 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Christian Veillet (CFHT) |
| 02/26 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Doug Comstock, NASA HQ, Innovative Partnership Program |
| 02/26 | : | District Career Fair at Sangha Hall | : | Sangha Hall, DOE |
| 03/01 | : | "Stars Over Hawai`i" Hawai`i Tribune-Herald Astronomy Supplement 2009 | : | MKOOC |
| 03/05 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Lori Garver, Lead Space Policy Adviser to President Obama, Space Policy |
| 03/07 | : | Hilo-Waiakea-Laupahoehoe School District Family Focus Team Event (PKP Mall 9:30am-3pm) | : | HWL District DOE |
| 03/07 | : | The Universe Tonight at MKVIS | : | United Kingdom Infrared Telescope |
| 03/11 | : | 7th Grade Girls Math/Science Conference at UH Hilo | : | UH Hilo |
| 03/12 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Scott Hubbard, SETI Institute/Stanford U., Space Exploration |
| 03/19 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Yvonne Pendleton, NASA Science Mission Dir., NASA Space Science |
| 03/19 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Alan Tokunaga (IRTF) |
| 03/20 | : | AstroTalk | : | Mark Chun, UH-IfA, "Adaptive Optics" |
| 03/21 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Alan Tokunaga (IRTF) |
| 03/31 | : | End of Cosmic Poster Contest | : | MKOOC, KTA (stay tuned for updates) |
| 04/02-05 | : | 100 Hours of Astronomy - Live from Mauna Kea | : | MKOOC/International Participants |
| 04/04 | : | The Universe Tonight at MKVIS | : | NASA Infrared Telescope Facility |
| 04/05 | : | UH Manoa IfA Open House | : | UHM-IfA |
| 04/11 | : | UHH Space Science Seminar Talks | : | Gary Payton, Dep. Undersec. of the Air Force for Space, Topic TBD |
| 04/12-18 | : | Merrie Monarch Festival Parade | : | MKOOC Merrie Monarch Festival Team |
| 04/16 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Doug Simons (Gemini) |
| 04/18 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Doug Simons (Gemini) |
| 05/02 | : | AstroDay | : | AstroDay Institute |
| 05/02 | : | The Universe Tonight at MKVIS | : | UH Hilo Astronomy & Physics Department |
| 05/09 | : | MATE-BIRR underwater robotics competition | : | DOE, Hilo MS |
| 05/14 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Rolf Kudritzki (IfA) |
| 05/16 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Rolf Kudritzki (IfA) |
| 06/06 | : | The Universe Tonight at MKVIS | : | Caltech Submillimeter Observatory |
| 06/18 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Tom Phillips (CSO) |
| 06/20 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Tom Phillips (CSO) |
| 07/16 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Gary Davis (JAC) |
| 07/18 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Gary Davis (JAC) |
| 08/13 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Taft Armandroff (Keck) |
| 08/15 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Taft Armandroff (Keck) |
| 08/15-16 | : | Kilauea Military Camp (KMC) free public day at Volcanoes National Park | : | KMC |
| 09/12-16 | : | ASP Outreach Meeting in San Francisco | : | ASP |
| 09/17 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Masahiko Hayashi (Subaru) |
| 09/17-20 | : | Hawaii County Fair | : | Hawaii County |
| 09/19 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Masahiko Hayashi (Subaru) |
| 09/26 | : | Waimea IYA Observatory Block Party, 10am - 2pm | : | CFHT, Keck |
| fall (exact date TBD) | : | Galaxy Garden Gala | : | Galaxy Garden |
| 10/03 | : | Excellence in Teaching Astronomy Workshop at NELHA in Kona (PDF flyer) | : | Gemini, TMT. Galileoscope Project, Mauna Kea Observatories, Big Island Toyota, NELHA |
| 10/06 | : | Journey 2010 Teacher/Astronomer Workshop at Gemini in Hilo (PDF flyer) | : | HWL DOE, Mauna Kea Observatories |
| 10/15 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Raymond Blundell (SMA) |
| 10/17 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Raymond Blundell (SMA) |
| 10/23-24 | : | Galilean Nights of Community Astronomy (website) | : | MKOOC |
| 10/24 | : | Astronomy Block Party on "Astronomy Row" at A`ohoku Place (flyer, website) | : | MKOOC |
| 10/29 | : | Girls Engaged in Math and Science (GEMS, Hilo, Mo`oheau Band Stand) | : | CFHT, Keck |
| 11/07 | : | `E Malama `Aina Foundation Festival (Hilo, Mo`oheau Band Stand) | : | Hawai`i Island Chamber of Commerce |
| 11/14 | : | Mentoring Conference at `Imiloa (flyer) | : | DOE, Gemini, TMT, `Imiloa, and many local sponsors |
| 11/19 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | David James (UH-Hilo) |
| 11/21 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | David James (UH-Hilo) |
| 12/05 | : | Star Party | : | CFHT, Keck |
| 12/05 | : | Waimea Christmas Parade | : | CFHT, Keck, various |
| 12/17 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at Keck in Waimea) | : | Mike Bolte (TMT) |
| 12/19 | : | Directors Lecture Series (at `Imiloa in Hilo) | : | Mike Bolte (TMT) |
Directors Lecture Series
During 2009, The International Year of Astronomy, The "Mauna Kea Skies" series at `Imiloa was replaced by the "Directors' Lecture Series". The directors of the observatories took turns giving a monthly lecture, both in Hilo (at `Imiloa on the third Saturday of the month) and in Waimea (at Keck on the Thursday preceeding the Hilo date). Please look at the Directors Lecture Series website for the full schedule.
Galileo Teacher Class
A year-long once-a-month free college-level astronomy class for teachers taught by JAC's Inge Heyer in Hilo and Kona involved hands-on activities for the class room. Please email Inge if you have questions or suggestion for future teacher training opportunities. Please look at the Galileo Teacher Class website for more detailed information.