September 27-29, 2015
    Large Seminar Room at
    National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ),
    Mitaka, Tokyo, JAPAN


    ABSTRACTS 1

    Day 1 : Sunday, September 27

    Session 1: The NAOJ Museum Plan

    Opening Talk: Mission of the Symposium
    Hidehiko Agata (NAOJ)

    I will introduce the main topics and goals of this symposium.
    Main Topics:
    Activities of each country’s astronomy museums.
    Science communication methods in astronomy museums.
    Challenges of building an astronomy museum.
    Management of astronomy museums.
    Significance of astronomers interacting with visitors.
    Opportunities for future cooperation.
    Usage of visual contents in astronomy museums.



    Introduction of the NAOJ Museum Plan
    Kumiko Usuda-Sato and Museum Project Office staff members (NAOJ)

    We developed the NAOJ Museum Plan in the fiscal year of 2014 (until March 2015) with the keywords of "to experience the past, present, and future astronomy driven by NAOJ". Four missions are set to preserve past technologies and documents, and at the time, to present today's and future science and projects by NAOJ: (1) Bring the latest NAOJ-driven astronomy at the on-site museum, (2) Be a pioneer of science communication in astronomy, (3) Catalog and preserve the historically-important instruments and documents owned by NAOJ, and (4) Increase international visibility of NAOJ by sharing resources and activities.

    In our talk, we will present detailed plan to implement the NAOJ Museum Plan.


    Session 2: Museum Activities at each Research Institute/Museum (1)

    The Challenges of Managing a Science Museum
    Lars Lindberg Christensen (ESO)

    Having recently written a rigorous "Master Plan" for our upcoming European Southern Observatory (ESO) Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre in Garching, we have gained interesting insight into the challenges of managing a science museum. The talk with use the ESO Supernova as a case study to define an organisation's DNA: Vision, Mission, Values, Objectives and Key Performance Indicators, Target Audience Analysis, Catchment Area, Target Audience Profiles, Cultural Considerations, Visitor Experience, Visual Identity and available Assets.

    The talk will also discuss how to best match the Objectives with the available Resources — money, manpower, and staff skill sets.



    NASA Astrophysics E/PO: A Quarter Century of Discovery and Inspiration with the Hubble Space Telescope
    Hussein Jirdeh (Space Telescope Science Institute)

    April 24, 2015 marked the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. In its quarter-century in orbit, the Hubble Space Telescope has transformed the way we understand the Universe, helped us find our place among the stars, and paved the way to incredible advancements in science and technology.

    In this presentation, we explain how NASA and ESA, including the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and partners, are using the 25th anniversary of Hubble’s launch as a unique opportunity to communicate to students, educators, and the public the significance of the past quarter-century of discovery with the Hubble Space Telescope. We describe the various programs, resources, and experiences we are utilizing to enhance the public understanding of Hubble’s many contributions to the scientific world. These include educator professional development opportunities, exhibits, events, traditional and social media, and resources for educators (formal k-12, informal, and higher education). We also highlight how we are capitalizing on Hubble’s cultural popularity to make the scientific connection to NASA’s next Great Observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope.

    This presentation highlights many of the opportunities by which students, educators, and the public are joining in the anniversary activities, both in-person and online. Find out more at hubble25th.org and follow #Hubble25 on social media.



    An Initiative to Utilize Scientific Instruments Collection at Bosscha Observatory to Build Science Museum
    Hakim L. Malasan and Yatny Yulianty (Bosscha Observatory and Astronomy Division, FMIPA / Institut Teknologi Bandung)

    In the developed countries, we see science history museum that plays important role in collection, research and education. Science Museum conducts dynamic activities in public education through exposition of its collection. Lack of this kind of museum in Indonesia could be understood since the Republic is still ‘young’. Scientific activities in Indonesia are not really established until early 1980s.

    According to Government Regulation No 19 in 1995 of the Republic of Indonesia entitles “Indonesian Museum Guidance”, a museum has important task to collect, maintain, secure and utilize collection. In general, this solely means exhibition along with interpretation as information media to public. In this respect, the role of museum for education is limited. Visitors will only get small amount of information without deep experience connecting with the collections itself.

    Astronomy as a practical science has been developed and practiced since our ancestors. It has been noted that in Indonesia, science based astronomical activities was conducted on the period 1595-1597, when Frederic de Houtman carried a mission to map southern hemisphere and successfully made astronomical observation in Aceh Province. Professional astronomy activities in Indonesia have been marked by the establishment of Bosscha Observatory as astronomical research institute in 1923. Until now this observatory is still the largest in Indonesia.

    This talk discusses the concept and design of a science museum at Bosscha Observatory not only as a collection of objects and artifacts but also as a story teller of science history and effective means for science education to visitors. The basic idea is to create a museum as an institution with unlimited time relevance. The Observatory has been conducting surveys to current visitors that reached up to 65,000 per year and concluded that exhibition of collection of instruments would be beneficial to scholars in all range of age to learn and appreciate science in Indonesia.



    Strategies for Astronomical Outreach Activities in Thailand
    Boonrucksar Soonthornthum (National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand)

    Astronomy is a powerful tool for human resource development and capacity building on Science and Technology. Outreach activities can be used to distribute the opportunities for publics to access Astronomy in various aspects and target groups ranging from young researchers, students and publics. Outreach activities can also bring inspiration, inquiry mind, imagination etc. to people from all walks of life.

    The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) is in charge of operation, promotion and support astronomy outreach activities throughout Thailand under collaborations with academic institutes and related organizations. As NARIT was selected by the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) of the IAU for a Southeast Asia Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (SEA ROAD), astronomy outreach activities are then extended to the Southeast Asia countries to support human resource developments and capacity buildings and promote Astronomy as well as Science and Technology in the region.



    Gunma Astronomical Observatory, a Public Observetory with a Large Telescope
    Osamu Hashimoto and Akihito Igarashi (Gunma Astronomical Observatory)

    Gunma Astronomical Observatory (GAO) can be regarded as a pioneer of the public observatories with large telescopes of full scientific capability. Its main telescope is a 150-cm reflector which was the largest telescope in the world applicable to the public stargazing when it was built in 1999. The 150-cm reflector with some scientific measuring instruments also has a function as an exhibition item for the daytime visitors. It is not only for the star gazing in the weekend evenings that GAO is opened for the public, but it works as a sort of science museum with various exhibition items in addition to the main telescope. For instance, a 30-cm solar telescope provides exciting experiences to see a high resolution spectrum of the sun as well as solar images in white and H-alpha monochromatic lights in real time. We are going to review the facilities and activities of GAO as a museum of astronomy and astrophysics for the public.



    Future Plan of Kyoto/Kwasan Observatory Museum
    Kazunari Shibata (Kwasan and Hida Observatories, Kyoto University)

    Kwasan Observatory of Kyoto University was established in 1929. Since then, it has been one of the international centers of astrophysical research of the Sun, planets, and Moon for many years. Kwasan Observatory has also been known as the "Makkah" of amateur astronomy of Japan, because many amateur astronomers have been educated and encouraged by the first director, Prof. Issei Yamamoto at Kwasan Observatory.

    Recently, the sky condition of astronomical observations at the observatory became worse and many telescopes as well as buildings became old, so that it is now necessary to change the role of the observatory from up-to-date research to education and outreach. Hence we are now going to make a future plan of Kyoto/Kwasan Observatory Museum to make use of the old historical telescopes and instruments for education and outreach.



    See the program

    See the abstracts of Day 2
    See the abstracts of Day 3 and the poster presentations

    Go back to the home page


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