From 24 to 28 June 2024, Cité de l’espace in Toulouse, France, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Commission C2 — Communicating Astronomy with the Public (CAP) and the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach, will host the world’s largest conference on astronomy communication: Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2024 (CAP 2024). Professionals from science communication, informal education, planetariums and science centres, professional and amateur astronomers, journalists and creative personalities are invited to the conference to exchange ideas and best practices.
Conference Website – https://cap2024conference.org/
Under the central theme, Communicating Astronomy in a Hybrid World, the Scientific Organising Committee (SOC) invites proposals for oral presentations, posters, workshops, demonstrations, planetarium shows, networking events and panel discussions to be submitted online by 15 February 2024. The theme involves blending traditional methods of communication with modern, technology-driven approaches to reach and effectively engage diverse audiences in the modern world.
Keeping in mind the CAP20224 central theme, the SOC encourages everyone to consider the following topics when crafting an abstract for submission:
1. One Hundred Years of the Planetarium
2. The Science of Astronomy Communication
3. Interdisciplinary Astronomy Communication
4. Innovations in Astronomy Outreach – Virtual & other modes
5. Communicating Astronomy across languages
6. Networking and Collaboration in Astronomy Outreach
7. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Astronomy Communication
The organisers encourage learning from peers, identifying potential partners, strengthening links between science communicators, and addressing various strategies for effective communication of astronomy.
Catering to all travel and mobility concerns and needs from our community, the conference will be organised as a hybrid event, both in-person and online, allowing each participant to enjoy the unique experience of joining CAP 2024 in the most convenient way for them.
In-person attendees will have the opportunity to attend our Gala dinner hosted at the Museum of Toulouse, book a post-conference tour of the Pic du Midi, and explore the various exhibitions of Cité de l’espace. Virtual participants will have access to exciting networking opportunities and online events throughout the conference.
The International Astronomical Union will offer a small number of grants and fee waivers to selected participants from around the world. Email cap2024@oao.iau.org for queries.
Important dates:
15 February: Abstract submission deadline; grant application deadline.
31 March: Abstract and grant applicants notified of results.
16 June: Final registration deadline.
24-28 June: CAP Conference 2024
To stay up to date with the latest information for CAP 2024, please join the conference mailing list, follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, or the hashtag #IAUCAP2024.
More Information:
The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together more than 12 000 active professional astronomers from more than 100 countries worldwide. Its mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world’s largest professional body for astronomers.
The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) is a joint project of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). The mission of the OAO is to engage the public in astronomy through access to astronomical information and communication of the science of astronomy. This is implemented through a network of IAU National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs) and the IAU’s public engagement initiatives. The work of the OAO is about building bridges between the IAU and the global astronomy community of amateur astronomers, outreach professionals, educators, communicators, and the general public, and through international collaboration, to make the science of astronomy accessible to all.
The IAU Commission C2 is a think/do-tank that convenes the astronomy communication community and seeds initiatives to explore new ways to communicate astronomy with the public. Its mission is to: encourage and enable a much larger fraction of the astronomical community to take an active role in explaining what we do (and why) to our fellow citizens; act as an international, impartial coordinating entity that furthers the recognition of outreach and public communication on all levels in astronomy; encourage international collaborations on outreach and public communication; endorse standards, best practices and requirements for public communication.
Located on the outskirts of Toulouse, France, Cité de l’espace is a scientific culture centre dedicated to the discovery of space and astronomy for all audiences. Since 1997, it has encouraged the curiosity of its visitors through its enthusiastic approach to space activities and phenomena. By favouring participation, experience and immersion, it offers its audiences a lively, accessible and often sensory discovery of science and space culture. Cité de l’Espace designs its exhibitions and events in close collaboration with French, European and international space agencies, laboratories, manufacturers and all the stakeholders in the space sector, offering a realistic approach to astronomy and space science.
Contacts:
Ramasamy Venugopal
CAP 2024 SOC Co-Chair
IAU Office of Astronomy for Development
Tel: +27 60 776 3832
Email: rv@astro4dev.org
Samir Dhurde
CAP 2024 SOC Co-Chair
Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics
Tel: +91 8983336912
Email: samir@iucaa.in
Kelly Blumenthal
CAP 2024 SOC Co-Chair & OAO Director
IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach
Tel: +81-(0)422-34-3966
Email: blumenthal.kelly@oao.iau.org
Ines Prieto
CAP 2024 LOC Co-Chair
Cité de l’espace and L’Envol des Pionniers (Semeccel)
Toulouse, France
Email: i.prieto@semeccel.com