PARTNeR is the acronym for Academic Project with the NASA Radio Telescopeat Robledo. The 34-m antenna in Robledo de Chavela is used by highschools, universities and amateur astronomers to learn aboutradioastronomy, physics and to get interested in science. The mainproject we develop is the observations of radio-bursts in X-ray binaries.
The high-school teachers joining our program take a trainingcourse to learn the basis of radioastronomy. Some practical lessons toteach the children the physical fundamentals of radioastronomy arealso given to them.
The operational phase of the project started in 2004, and 25 highschools, 5 universities and 4 societies of amateur astronomers havebeen involved in the project.

The popularization of science, as a part of Culture, has and continues to be a constant concern for the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), reflected in important actions, such as public outreach campaigns at educational institutions, open days at the Observatories, courses and conferences, exhibits, cooperation with publishing companies and awards, educational programmes, printed (IAC Noticias) and online newsletters, online scientific outreach, radio programmes (“Canarias Innova”) and attention to the media, besides the public outreach and communication of the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) and several special activities related to astronomical phenomena like eclipses, transits, comets or meteor showers. This poster introduces the digital newsletters GTC Digital and Caosyciencia, as well as the educational projects Educating in the Cosmos (Cosmoeduca) and Odyssey in Space-Time.



We describe a project developed at the University of Granada incollaboration with the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía aimed atusing a remote telescope for live astronomical observations from the classroom.Available instrumentation, software and activities are presented.


Hands-on-Universe, Europe (EU-HOU) aims at re-awakening the interest forscience in the young generations through astronomy and new technologies. Itrelies on real observations acquired through a worldwide internet-basednetwork of automatic telescopes or with didactical tools (webcam,radiotelescope). Pupils manipulate images in the classroom environment, using specific software within pedagogical resources constructed in closecollaboration between researchers and teachers. EU-HOU is freely available onthe web, and trains european teachers.


In Spain we have to make a big effort in order to produce more activities dedicated to the popularization of Science. In this paper we show the activities we have developped, and others that will be done soon, in order to show to the general public, an example of how science is made. The project Star Forming Rate at Different z's is paid with public founds and included in its objectives, are some actions directed to the popularization of the science made in it. Exhibitions, public talks and planetarium shows are part of these activities presented to the general public in two of the main Science Centers of Spain, the Madrid and Pamplona planetaria.

The Universe Observation Center (in Catalan language, Centred'Observació de l'Univers, COU) is located in close proximity to theMontsec Astronomical Observatory (Observatori Astronòmic delMontsec, OAM), in eastern Catalonia (Spain). Both centers comprise theMontsec Astronomical Park (Parc Astronòmic Montsec, PAM), managedby the Consorci del Montsec. Montsec Mountain remains the finest locationfor astronomical observation in Catalonia, as demonstrated by asite-testing campaign conducted by the Astronomy and MeteorologyDepartment of the University of Barcelona. The COU consists of a Central Building (including a permanentexhibition and three classrooms possessing broadband Internet access), theTelescope Park (two astronomical domes equipped with medium-sizetelescopes, a coelostat for solar observation, and a portable telescopepark), the Eye of Montsec (a digital planetarium and, at the sametime, an extremely innovative platform for sky observation) and the Garden of the Universe (a tour of the land surrounding the COU, visitingseveral areas within it). The COU will offer to the Spanish academic community a host of fascinatingand unique activities in the fields of astronomy and geology. The Centeris open not only to students (from primary school through university), butalso to amateur astronomers, people interested in science and the generalpublic.


In this contribution we describe both the teaching and popularization activities carried out at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM, Spain) Observatory.The former are in the framework of the Physics degree at the University and the latter consists of several courses given at the University and amateur observations organised by members of our research group.We will also describe the equipment available and the state of the repairs of the Jerónimo Muñoz 0.51 meter telescope.

One of the fields in which teaching Astronomy is more demanded is non-formal education. The Stars Workshop we present in this contribution consisted on an introduction to Astronomy and observation methods. The main objectives were: to know the main components of the Universe, their characteristics and the scales of size and time existing between them; to understand the movement of the different celestial objects; to know the different observational techniques; to value the different historical explanations about the Earth and the position of Humanity in the Universe. This Stars Workshop was a collaboration with the Escuela de Tiempo Libre Jumavi, which is a school dedicated to the training and non-formal education in the leisure field.

There is a long tradition on teaching Astronomy at the UCMUniversity. Since 1972it is possible to study Astrophysics at the Faculty of Physics ofthe UCM. The facilities of the UCM Observatory are improvingcontinuously every year. Nowadays two domes (4 m) are available.The west dome is mainly used for doing solar observationswhile the east dome is generally used to do nightobservations. The available instruments allow us to make asmall-scaled reproduction of how people work in a largeobservatory. At the UCM Observatory students of the Astrophysicscareer do many different kinds of exercises based on the currenttechniques used by professional astronomers. In addition, duringthe last years of the career they also have the opportunity ofdoing a research work under the supervision of a professor.

One of the most important handicaps in astronomy, and science ingeneral, is the long distance between public and scientists. Webelieve science popularization is a duty for every scientist,because this make people understand and support our work. At theend this is an investment for our own benefit. Here we present theexperience of four years teaching astronomy to Senior People.


The Pamplona Planetarium hosted the Spain National Node for the international project named VT-2004, a whole compendium of activities of science popularisation based on the Venus Transit of June 8, 2004, including an on-line calculation of the Astronomical Unit using the transit observation method depicted by Edmond Halley in 17th Century. To achieve a wide knowledge of the activities, and to encourage citizens to participate in, several different networks (mainly using the Internet) were established that coordinated the participation of different institutions and individuals: planetariums and science centres; research institutions, observatories and universities; colleges and schools; amateur astronomer associations and groups; other cultural associations and the media. A wide range of activities were promoted throughout the nation, all of them having thus a common coordination centre. Acceptance from the society was achieved, with a wide coverage of media and great participation of people in all the activities.


On the occasion of the Transit of Venus on June 8 2004, the Departament de Astronomia i Meteorologia at the Universitat de Barcelona carried out several activitiesadressed to the general public. An internet broadcast of the event, talks atsecondary schools or public observations at the street, were some of these activities that we described in this paper.



On June 8, 2004, the Venus transit in front of the Sun took place. It was a rare astronomical phenomenon, because the last Venus transit took place in 1882 and was only partially visible in Europe. Such a rare phenomenon mobilized all who are curious about the sky, but it also was a good opportunity for specialists to spread some knowledge about the universe in public. IAAR adhered to the International Consortium Venus-2004 acting as a National Node. The Romanian researchers in astronomy, together with the amateur astronomers and teachers, set up an ambitious national programme addressed to the school young people as well as to the public. National meetings and conferences, activities for informing the public, contests with astronomical subjects for children were organised in order to make known the Venus transit event. Organisms with large impact on the public (mass media) and even factors of decision were contacted in order to get a correct understanding of the phenomenon. We try to show here how a such a event become a new experiment for education and communication, ending with some particular conclusions.

The transit of Venus was an excellent opportunity to promote Astronomy to everybody. In particular this occasion was used to encourage interest in Astronomy in schools. In our society, which has a good quality of life, interest in science has decreased. Every year the number of students interested in studying science degrees at university is smaller than in previous years. Our new generations do not seem to be motivated to study in the field of science. Probably this situation is a consequence of the lack of understanding of the true meaning of science. Of course, it is not possible that a student would decide to study a topic that they do not know about. In the media science appears less than sports, cinema, or business! In consequence, the general public is more concerned about items other than science. On June 8th we took advantage of an opportunity to introduce science and Astronomy into the lives of everybody, but especially in schools. This paper will show two projects related to the transit in schools: ”Pilla el Tránsito de Venus” and ”VT-2004” and a short appendix to another project for schools ”ALMA-ITP”