Networked Astronomy and the New Media

Workshop Description

Astronomy is facing a paradigm shift. The huge quantities of data that will be generated by a new generation of surveys and instruments require new ways of thinking. At the same time, an ever more connected world is bringing astronomy to the masses by the vast possibilities of the web, via  blogs, podcasts, social networks and more.

Google Sky and Microsoft’s Worldwide Telescope have taken astronomy into the home with stunning elegance. Exciting citizen science projects enlist the general public into world-class astronomy research. Data mining, robotic telescopes and virtual observatories will soon take petabytes of data to a global audience of professionals and amateurs. Communication and networking technologies are changing science, for both researchers and the public alike.

In 2008 the first .Astronomy conference took place in Cardiff, to discuss the ideas and methods emerging in this new era and the way in which they present interesting and novel opportunities for both conducting and communicating astronomy.

Themes and topics

·        Citizen Science

o       Galaxy Zoo

o       Web-based platforms for citizen science projects

o       Future citizen science projects

·        New media for outreach and communication

o       IYA 2009 and the web: 100 Hours of Astronomy, The World at Night, Cosmic Diary, UNAWE, Portal to the Universe)

o       Podcasting and blogging astronomy

o       Microblogging

·        Networked technologies for research

o       Virtual observatory

o       Literature tools

o       Data mining

·        Visualisation concepts

o       Google Sky, Microsoft Worldwide Telescope

o       Visualisation as a research aid

We will devote one day of the workshop to an “Astronomy Hack Day” – a developers’ brainstorming session where new ideas and applications can be worked out. We aim to get a new citizen science project off the ground in these sessions.

Workshop format

The web is all about interaction and participation. We want the workshop to reflect this so we want to hear from you! Talk to us via email, Twitter or the workshop blog, details are all listed on this page.

If you are interested in giving a talk then please submit an abstract in the box provided on the registration form. We plan to have talks in the morning of every day, with the afternoon reserved for working break-out groups or discussion sessions.  This means the number of “formal talks” will be quite limited, but everyone will have a chance to speak their mind. Each day will deal with one of the above themes, with the 5th day devoted to the Hack Day.

If you would like to attend or simply share your ideas then get in touch!

Twitter: @dotastronomy

Blog: http://www.dotastronomy.com

Scientific organizing committee

Dr. Alasdair Allan, University of Exeter (@aallan)

Dr. Sarah Kendrew, University of Leiden (@sarahkendrew)

Dr. Chris Lintott, University of Oxford (@chrislintott)

Dr. Stuart Lowe, University of Manchester (astronomyblog)

Dr. Carolina Ödman, University of Leiden/Universe Awareness (@carolune)

Mr. Robert Simpson, University of Cardiff (@orbitingfrog)

Dot Astronomy and the International Year of Astronomy

The United Nations proclaimed 2009 the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) in celebration of the anniversary of Galileo Galilei’s first astronomical observations through a telescope. The vision of the IYA is to “help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery”. The internet has been instrumental in bringing the activities of the IYA to a huge public with blogs, podcasts and webcasts. During the .Astronomy workshop we will review the success of these initiatives and discuss how to keep the momentum of the IYA into the coming years.

This workshop is an official IYA2009 conference.

Visit our blog:

www.dotastronomy.com