Asteroids for Popularization of Astronomy

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Asteroids for Popularization of Astronomy

• Orlando A. Naranjo
• Grupo de Astrofísica Teórica
• Universidad de Los Andes
• Facultad de Ciencias
• Departamento de Física
• Mérida-Venezuela
• E-mail
• naranjoula_at_yahoo.com

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• When Galileo observed for the first time moons of
  Jupiter, he never imaging that astronomical
  discoveries could be used as a tool to popularize
  Science, technology and innovation.
• It is presented here how the nomination of
  Asteroids may be used as a tool for
  popularization of Astronomy, Science and
  Technology. The nomination of asteroids was used
  by organizers of educative activities in schools
  and one museu as a price to the winners of
  scientific and technological events which they
  promote.

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Squeme of presentation

• I will talk about which was my motivation to
  make this program.
• I will talk about the search program developed by
  the Group of Theoretical Astrophysics of
  University of the Andes in Mérida, Venezuela in
  which this asteroids were discovered.
• Two events, one in Venezuela and one in Brazil,
  which had been used as an attractive alternative
  for popularization of science.
• Finally, it is proposed to IAU the use of the
  program Asteroids for Popularization of
  Astronomy during the celebration of the
  International year of Astronomy in 2009.

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Introduction

• In some parts of the word, like Latino American
  and Caribbean Countries (LAC) it is very urgently
  to increase the numbers of scientist. Astronomers
  and scientists of any fields should make efforts
  to stimulate studies in science.

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• The richest nations each devote between 2 and 3
  of their IGP to RD, whereas the Latino American
  And Caribbean countries (LAC) typically devote
  between 0.1 and 1.0 to RD, averaging 0.6.
  Only the non-industrialized nations of Asia
  (excluding India) and those of sub-Saharan Africa
  devote a lower percentage to RD, with the
  exception of South Africa (0.8).

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• According with UNESCO (2005) Latino American and
  Caribbean countries (LAC), with 8,3 of world
  population, spend in science 3,2 of the world
  spenditure. Brazil, Argentine and Mexico spend
  85 of all LAC countries. All the other
  countries expend around 0,1 of internal grow
  product, except Cuba that expend 0,6 .

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• The distance between LAC expenditure and the
  group of most developed countries is so great
  that it reaffirms of itself the need for the
  region's Science and technology development.

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Searching for asteroids from Llano del hato,
Venezuela.

• All of you know the importance to study
  asteroids. I do not have to say that this are
  remnant of the origin of the Solar System.
• Since 1992 we begin a program to search for
  objects in movement in the solar system. Using
  the 1-m Schmidt Camera installed at Llano del
  Hato observatory in The Venezuelan state of
  Mérida.
• We start with photographic plates, observing a
  field of a radio of 5 degrees.
• Today there is and arrays of 16 ccd which allows
  to observe a field of around 3 x 3 degrees.

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Searching for asteroids from Llano del hato,
Venezuela.

• With this program we had discovered around 600
  asteroids and also, independently discovered the
  comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 that make collision with
  Jupiter.
• Today we try also to do follow up of near earth
  asteroids, comets and TNO.
• Some of the asteroids discovered had been named
  as Mérida, Venezuela, Cajigal, Unilandes,
  Luisapla, Kabudari and Ourinhos.

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Bautizo Espacial ( Spatial Baptism)

• Actually, there were two events, one in Venezuela
  and one in Brazil, which had used the naming of
  asteroids as an attractive alternative for
  popularization.
• One event was called Bautizo Espacial was
  organized by universities and governmental
  institutions and was realized in the Venezuelan
  State of Lara. Consisted of a contest of
  scientific stories written by fundamental and
  high school students. (www.tayabeixo.org/bautizo/i
  ntroduccion.htm )

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Participation in Bautizo Espacial

• Participated 28 schools. Around 1000 young people
  were involved in the contest.
• Winner team propose the story El asteroide que
  cayó del cielo (Asteroid that fell down from
  sky)
• Named asteroid 12758 (1993 SM3) KABUDARI
• (Indigenous name Big tree)

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Grande desafio ( big challenge)

• The second event, called Grande Desafio (Big
  Challenge), was a competition where teams (with 3
  to 6 fundamental and high school students) were
  challenged to build a prototype of an equipment
  to battle forest fire.
• This happening was organized by the Exploratory
  Science Museum of the State University of
  Campinas in Brazil (Museu Exploratorio de
  Ciencias, UNICAMP). (http//www.mc.unicamp.br/desa
  fio/grande-desafio/grande-desafio)

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Participation in Grande desafio

• 2500 Schools from all Brazil were involve in the
  event.
• Around 500 young people participate with 80 teams
  mainly from Sao Paulo state.
• The winner team named asteroid
• 12367 ( 1994 CN8 ) Ourinhos

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With the Public

• Both events had national publicity in regional
  and national newspapers, radios, TV and WEB
  pages, reaching great amount of people in both
  nations Brazil and Venezuela.
• Also, In both events were realized parallel
  activities promoting public knowledge of
  astronomy.

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PROPOSITION TO IAU/UAITo use nomination of
asteroids as a mechanism to popularize
astronomy, Science, Technology and innovation.
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• The use of nomination of asteroids as a price to
  the winners of scientific and technological
  events in schools and museum is of great
  importance by it few material price.
• It will let indelible marks in the memory of the
  participants and will serve as a stimuli and
  recognizing to their efforts.

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• To begin with this proposition I hand over to
  IAU/UAI 20
• asteroids discovered in Venezuela.

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Thank you very much for your attention!!!!MUCHAS
GRACIAS!!!!