StarPeace Project
Encyclopedia
The StarPeace Project was a global special project first organised in conjunction with the International Year of Astronomy
in 2009. StarPeace project participants held public star parties
near a border
of their country with a neighboring country. The intention was to show that there are no borders in the real Earth, borders are man-made and science has no borders.
2009, the Starpeace project has these aims:
Anousheh Ansari
is an advisor to the StarPeace project. She was the first woman from the Middle East to go into space, and the first Iranian. Ansari was the fourth self-funded space tourist and the first self-funded woman to fly to the International Space Station.
StarPeace has affiliated with Yuri's Night
, named after the first human to go into space, Yuri Gagarin
.
and the United Arab Emirates
. On the first two nights of that year, Iranian astronomers held public star parties on Qeshm
Island, south of Iran, and around 500 people enjoyed the beauty of the sky on those nights. A similar stargazing party attracted more than 150 people in Dubai
.
A StarPeace event took place between India and Pakistan on February 9, during a penumbral lunar eclipse. An Indian astronomy group in Bhuj
, India
and a Pakistani astronomy group in Lahore
, Pakistan
held observing nights and astronomy speeches in SOS Children's Villages
for young children.
In 2010, events were ongoing.
International Year of Astronomy
The International Year of Astronomy was a year-long celebration of astronomy that took place in 2009 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observations with a telescope by Galileo Galilei and the publication of Johannes Kepler's Astronomia nova in the 17th century...
in 2009. StarPeace project participants held public star parties
Star party
A star party is a gathering of amateur astronomers for the purpose of observing the sky. Local star parties may be one night affairs, but larger events can last up to a week or longer and attract hundreds or even thousands of participants. Many regional star parties are now held annually and are an...
near a border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
of their country with a neighboring country. The intention was to show that there are no borders in the real Earth, borders are man-made and science has no borders.
Vision
In accordance with the goals of the International Year of AstronomyInternational Year of Astronomy
The International Year of Astronomy was a year-long celebration of astronomy that took place in 2009 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observations with a telescope by Galileo Galilei and the publication of Johannes Kepler's Astronomia nova in the 17th century...
2009, the Starpeace project has these aims:
- To encourage astronomy groups in one country to cooperate with those in neighboring countries, creating a network of active astronomy groups in that region.
- To give particular encouragement to the growth and survival of astronomy groups in developing countries.
- To use these star parties as a means of increasing scientific awareness and to improve the knowledge of astronomy through talks and photographs.
- To make a contribution towards regional peace and harmony.
- To provide an opportunity for people to use astronomical equipment that they might not otherwise have encountered or experienced at first hand.
Organizers
StarPeace project is organized by Astronomical Society of Iran and the Sky Peace Organization, a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation. StarPeace core team composed from Mohammad J. Torabi, Irene Shivaei, Kazem Kookaram, Hooman Najafi and Siavash Safarian Pour who coordinate and guide StarPeace project with collaborate of their colleagues in more than 30 countries in the globe. The Astronomical Society of Iran is a non-beneficiary institute, established for the purpose of increasing and improving astronomical activities in Iran, both in research and in education. It seeks to facilitate cooperation and coordination between the scientific and technical centers of the country.Anousheh Ansari
Anousheh Ansari
Anousheh Ansari is an engineer and the Iranian-American co-founder and chairman of Prodea Systems. Her previous business accomplishments include serving as co-founder and CEO of Telecom Technologies, Inc. . The Ansari family is also the title sponsor of the Ansari X Prize. On September 18, 2006,...
is an advisor to the StarPeace project. She was the first woman from the Middle East to go into space, and the first Iranian. Ansari was the fourth self-funded space tourist and the first self-funded woman to fly to the International Space Station.
StarPeace has affiliated with Yuri's Night
Yuri's Night
Yuri's Night is an international celebration held on April 12 every year to commemorate space exploration milestones. The event is named for the first human to launch into space, Yuri Gagarin, who flew the Vostok 1 spaceship on April 12, 1961. In 2004, people celebrated Yuri's Night in 34...
, named after the first human to go into space, Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961....
.
Events
The StarPeace opening event of 2009 took place between IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. On the first two nights of that year, Iranian astronomers held public star parties on Qeshm
Qeshm
Qeshm Qeshm Qeshm (Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm is an Iranian island situated in the Strait of Hormuz, and separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait/Khuran in the Persian Gulf .-Geography:...
Island, south of Iran, and around 500 people enjoyed the beauty of the sky on those nights. A similar stargazing party attracted more than 150 people in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
.
A StarPeace event took place between India and Pakistan on February 9, during a penumbral lunar eclipse. An Indian astronomy group in Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and a Pakistani astronomy group in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
held observing nights and astronomy speeches in SOS Children's Villages
SOS Children's Villages
SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-governmental international development organisation which has been working to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of children since 1949. It was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in Imst, Austria...
for young children.
In 2010, events were ongoing.
See also
- International Year of AstronomyInternational Year of AstronomyThe International Year of Astronomy was a year-long celebration of astronomy that took place in 2009 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observations with a telescope by Galileo Galilei and the publication of Johannes Kepler's Astronomia nova in the 17th century...
(IYA2009) - Star partyStar partyA star party is a gathering of amateur astronomers for the purpose of observing the sky. Local star parties may be one night affairs, but larger events can last up to a week or longer and attract hundreds or even thousands of participants. Many regional star parties are now held annually and are an...
- Sidewalk astronomySidewalk astronomySidewalk or Street Corner Astronomy refers to the activity of setting up a telescope in an urban setting on a for profit or non-profit basis as an entertainment or for public education.-Overview:...
- Yuri's NightYuri's NightYuri's Night is an international celebration held on April 12 every year to commemorate space exploration milestones. The event is named for the first human to launch into space, Yuri Gagarin, who flew the Vostok 1 spaceship on April 12, 1961. In 2004, people celebrated Yuri's Night in 34...