C19. Astrophysics

C19. Astrophysics Information

NEWS:

Astronomy is still a leader in new discoveries. This year Noble Prize in Physics went to Saul Perlmutter, Brian P. Schmmidt and Adam G. Riess "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae".

The year 2009 was established as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations with the aim to "help the citizens rediscover their place in the Universe". This year was picked up as exactly 400 years passed since the first ever use of the telescope for astronomical observations, by Galileo Galilei. The action stirred a lot of activity coordinated through a special web page (http://www.astronomy2009.org) accompanied by over 130 national nodes. Several global projects like "100 Hours of Astronomy" (2 - 5 April 2009) or Galileoscope (cheap telescope for everybody!) went along with the numerous local scale events like public lectures, opened nights at observatories, exhibitions like night sky photography, art and science competitions for children and many others. Some of this activity continues till now, for example in the form of the IAU project "Astronomy for a Better World" (http://www.astronomyfordevelopment.org/index.php/regions).

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The IUPAP YOUNG Scientist Prize in Astrophysics (http://www.iupap.org/commissions/c19/youngscie.html)

Recent Prizes in Astrophysics and Related Topics (http://www.iupap.org/commissions/c19/prizes.html)

Astrophysical Highlights of 2009-2011 (http://www.iupap.org/commissions/c19/highlights-09-11.html)