Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Galileo Lectures

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Well, I lied in my last blog when I said we’d be going to Saskatoon or Winnipeg next…but we will go there soon, I promise! Instead, I’m going to tell you about the Galileo Lecture Series.  During 2009, 10 Canadian research astronomers will be visiting many different communities across the country to give “high-impact lectures on topics of forefront astrophysics."

One of the goals of the GLS is to bring astronomy to non-traditional audiences. Dr. Stephane Courteau’s recent visit to Pangnirtung in Nunavut certainly meets that goal!  Pangnirtung is an Inuit community on Baffin Island, with a population of about 1325 people. Stephane travelled from Queen’s University in Kingstonto Pangnirtung in early May (Kingston to Ottawa to Iqaluit to Pangnirtung).  The picture to the upper left shows the hamlet of Pangnirtung (the red/grey building on the right is the high school where Stephane gave his lecture), where Stephane reports it was a balmy -10C.

Stephane spoke to nearly 100 students and adults from the school and town about Galileo, the IYA, and the Life of an Astronomer. His talk was translated simultaneously into Inuit by an interpreter.  Many of the kids were very keen and knowledgeable; one asked about black holes and multiple universes (though he wants to be a biologist, not an astronomer … oh well).  The first picture below was taken during Stephane’s talk, while the second shows a couple of happy kids who attended.

Stephane’s trip to Pangnirtung was a great experience both for him and for the community, and I’d like to thank him for telling me about his visit and supplying the pictures. I think the Galileo Lecture Series is a wonderful program, and in future blogs I will share more of these lectures with you.  It’s not too late to request a Galileo Lecturer to visit your community!


In my next blog, I hope to tell you about some of the activities that happened during Astronomy Day on May 2.  Please send us your Astronomy Day reports and pictures to skynewspow@aol.com and copy to me at tjb@astro.queensu.ca! 

'Till next time,
Terry