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Serving Astronomy: the Aim of the IAU

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2019

David Baneke ,
Johannes Andersen  and
Claus Madsen
David Baneke
Affiliation:
Descartes Centre, Utrecht UniversityNL-3508AD Utrecht, The Netherlands email: d.m.baneke@uu.nl
Johannes Andersen
Affiliation:
The Niels Bohr Institute, University of CopenhagenDK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark email: ja@nbi.ku.dk Institute of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus UniversityDK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark email: claus.madsen@scienceuniverse.eu
Claus Madsen
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus UniversityDK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark email: claus.madsen@scienceuniverse.eu
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Abstract

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The IAU was founded in 1919 “to facilitate the relations between astronomers of different countries where international co-operation is necessary or useful” and “to promote the study of astronomy in all its departments”. These aims have led the IAU throughout the century of its existence, but the way it has tried to fulfil them has changed. We have tried to trace the changing role of the IAU in the international astronomical community through the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. The IAU has striven – occasionally struggled – to protect international scientific cooperation across the deep political divides that characterized the 20th century, while maintaining an important function in the context of the rapidly evolving science itself and the changing fabric of institutions involved in astronomy. We especially argue how the emphasis of the IAU’s activities has shifted from the first aim – facilitating collaboration by organizing meetings and defining common standards – to the second aim: promoting astronomy by outreach and development programs.

Keywords

History of astronomySociology of astronomyScientific internationalism
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 13 , Symposium S349: Under One Sky: The IAU Centenary Symposium , December 2018 , pp. 129 - 138
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2019 

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