International Year of Astronomy ( IYA-2009)

1. International Year of Astronomy (IYA-2009) IYA-2009 Activities Armenia Areg Mickaelian

2. Increasing the prestige of astronomy in Armenia (meetings, mass media, etc.) Public activities (amateurs, popular astronomy, educational matters, etc.) Astronomy and Society Professional astronomy Other sciences institutions Cultural organizations Astronomy and world heritage; UNESCO’s project Amateur astronomy; observations & discoveries Astronomical education; from school to Ph.D. degree Popular astronomy; from children to everybody Scientific tourism; Byurakan and around Scientific journalism; astronomy and mass media

3. IYA-2009 projects in Armenia Astronomy & World Heritage

4. IYA-2009 Armenian LOC Areg Mickaelian, Chair (BAO/ArAS) Elena Nikogossian, Secretary (BAO/ArAS) HaykAbrahamyan, VardanAdibekyan, MkrtichGevorgyan, SatenikGhazaryan, Kamo Gigoyan, MarietaGyulzadyan, ArturHakobyan, Davit Sargsyan, Lusine Sargsyan, Parandzem Sinamyan (BAO) JacklineMartirosyan, Diana Antonosyan (YSU) Lilit Verdyan (Association for women’s rights) Astronomy teachers, students, pupils Distribution of duties among the LOC members: mass media program, school program, publication program, Astronomy and World Heritage, etc.

5. IYA-2009 in ARMENIA Events: conferences, meetings, “100 hours of astronomy”, celebrations, concerts, exhibitions, etc. Historical-astronomical heritage in Armenia Astronomical education in Armenia Internet (IYA webpage, “Portal to the Universe”, etc.) Mass media program: TV, radio, press, Internet School program: Olympiad, lectures at schools, teachers’ teaching, contests, visits to Byurakan Observatory, etc. Publication: CD/DVDs, books, brochures, sky map, postcards, posters, calendars, souvenirs, etc.

6. Dec, 2008 Armenia joined IYA-2009 23.01, Yerevan Start of the series of biographical articles about outstanding Armenian astronomers at “Armenpress” News Agency website 08.02, Yerevan ArAS webpage with lots of info on Armenian astronomy and IYA- 2009 28.02, Byurakan Meeting with journalists, 40 participants 28.02-01.03 Wide broadcasting about IYA-2009 in the world and Armenia 02.03, Byurakan M.A. Arakelian’s 80th and Ye.Terzian’s 70th anniversaries • 22.03, Byurakan “Astrophoto contest” of the Armenian Institute of Tourism students 30.03, Byurakan Meeting with representatives of touristic companies, 35 participants 14.04, Byurakan Meeting with Ambassadors and representatives of international organizations 15.04, Yerevan IYA-2009 meeting / public lecture, YSU • 17.04, Yerevan Establishment of Viktor Ambartsumian International Prize • 18.04, Yerevan Exhibition “Armenia: a Country of Ancient Astronomy” April Distribution of ESO’s “Eyes on the Skies” DVDs to schools 26.04, Byurakan Armenian Astronomical School Olympiad, 40 participants 30.04, Byurakan Meeting with architects, 35 participants 04.05, Byurakan IYA meeting / seminar "IYA-2009 in the world and in Armenia” 15.05, Yerevan IYA-2009 meeting / public lecture, YSU • 16.05, Yerevan IYA-2009 meeting / public lecture, Phys-Math school IYA-2009 Armenian Events

7. 19.05, Yerevan Public lecture, Quantum school 26.05, Yerevan Meeting between astronomers and historians / archaeologists 10.06, Yerevan Publication/production of astronomical promotional materials 19.06, Byurakan Young artists’ exhibition “The Universe and myself” and meeting with professional artists, 200 participants 01-08.07, Byurakan Third Byurakan Summer School for YSU students, 30 participants 01-17.07, Byurakan Summer Practice for YSU Department of Physics students, 15 participants 06-08.07, Byurakan ArAS VIII meeting: Astronomy and Society, 100 participants July Discussion of creation of Astronomical Council in Armenia August Purchasing of Celestron FirstScope telescopes for schools 18.09, Yerevan Astronomy Day in Armenia, public observations of amateur astronomers 22-23.09, Byurakan French-Armenian Workshop, 35 participants 25.09, Yerevan IYA-2009 meeting / seminar, YSU, 100 participants 30.09, Byurakan Workshop in frame of International Conference CSIT-2009, 40 participants 01.10, Yerevan IYA-2009 meeting / public lecture, School #64, 60 participants 15.12, Yerevan Opening of V.A. Ambartsumian's monument in Yerevan, 150 participants 28.12, Yerevan IYA-2009 Closing Ceremony, NAS RA, 60 participants December Start of Beyond-IYA activities (GTTP, etc.) IYA-2009 Armenian Events

8. Astronomical Souvenirs and Promotional Materials

10. Journalists in Byurakan Meeting on IYA-2009 and scientific journalism matters, February 28, 2009, Byurakan 33 journalists: 4 TV, 6 radio, 9 newspapers and journals, 6 Internet media, 8 students Presentation of the Armenian astronomy, Byurakan Observatory, IYA-2009, etc. Discussion of IYA-2009 tasks, scientific journalism in general Questionnaire with questions about astronomy and scientific journalism: insufficient attention to astronomy (science)? what is a constellations? etc. 27 publications and casts during the next days (Feb 28 – Mar 3) Prizes for best publications on astronomy: mass media, TV, radio, press, Internet

11. Travel Agencies in Byurakan Meeting on scientific tourism matters, March 30, 2009, Byurakan Obs. Discussion of scientific (astronomical) and regional tourism matters Preparation of souvenirs, publication of postcards, calendars, etc.

12. Ambassadors in Byurakan Reception of Ambassadors of Foreign Countries and Heads of other International Organizations in Armenia Presentation of the IYA-2009 and its goals Acquaintance with the 2.6m telescope of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory

13. Meetings with Architects April: meetings with architects, presentation of the IYA-2009 and its goals, collaboration, discussion of world astronomical observatories and telescope buildings

14. Young Artists’ Exhibition June 19, 2009, Byurakan. Young Artists’ Exhibition and Contest “The Universe and Myself”; 250 paintings. Meeting with professional artists led by Union of Artists of Armenia. Joint jury by astronomers and artists. Excursion in the Observatory, meeting at conference hall (presentation of IYA-2009 activities, popular lecture, awards to 9 schools).

15. Third Byurakan Summer School for YSU students July 1-8, 2009, Byurakan. Participants, lectures, events

16. Concert by Robert Amirkhanyan July 6, 2009, Byurakan. Concert by the famous Armenian composer Robert Amirkhanyan with the singer Seda Amir-Karayan.

17. ArAS VIII Annual Meeting “Astronomy and Society” July 6-8, 2009, Byurakan. Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS) VIII Annual Meeting “Astronomy and Society”. Sessions on Astronomical Heritage, Astrobiology, Astronomical Education, talks on International Collaboration, Scientific Tourism, Scientific Journalism, etc. Guests from Academy, other institutions, UNESCO Armenian commission, sponsors, journalists, students. ArAS certificates to 16 founding members.

18. Astronomy and World Heritage Meeting with historians/archaeologists on historical-astronomical matters

19. Ambartsumian monument in Yerevan December 15, Yerevan, near the YSU astronomical observatory, 200 participants

20. Astronomy for Students DVD A collection of useful information for students: textbooks (90), exercises, encyclopedia and dictionaries (8), papers, presentations (including from international summer schools), catalogs, software (including SciSoft VII), photos, movies, BAO, Ambartsumian, etc.

21. Organizers and Sponsors Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS) Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) Armenian National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Yerevan State University (YSU) Armenian State Committee for Science (SCS) Ministry of Education and Science Ministry of Culture UNESCO National Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Antares Holding (publishing company) Armenpress news agency (information sponsor)

22. Thank you for attention!