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In this interview, Émile Schweitzer recalls the history and the current activities of the “Association Française des Observateurs d’Étoiles Variables” (AFOEV) [French Association of Variable-Star Observers] that started in 1921 to collect magnitude estimates from observers in France and abroad. The data, entirely published, are put - free of charge and without prior request — at the disposal of professional astronomers using them and proposing collaborative programs to the members of the association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Journalists writing about astronomy bring varying levels of knowledge to the task. Most rely on astronomers for help. To be most helpful, astronomers should familiarize themselves with the practices and needs of journalists and learn effective methods for presenting astronomy via news releases, interviews and news conferences. In all aspects of communicating with the media, the ability to express technical findings in plain language is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors describe the various outreach activities at Jodrell Bank Observatory: Visitor Centre (new one being designed), web site, distance learning, school programmes, work with astronomical societies and with other community groups, and finally, interactions with the national and local media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hands-On Universe (HOU) is a slowly but steadily growing international endeavor that teaches students and teachers modern astronomy through the acquisition, measurement, and analysis of real images from either the International Virtual Observatory or a developing network of small robotic telescopes. This intrinsically global effort shares data, teachers, scientists, students, telescope sites, lesson plans, teacher training strategies, software, collaborative tools, and other resources. Such resources can be spread both ubiquitously and effectively through modern web-based technologies and traditional means. Astronomy has proven to be a superb mechanism to engender and support worldwide collaboration and cooperation; global HOU currently has embraced collaborators from six continents, and is endeavoring to build telescope resources in Antarctica. HOUer’s want to work together and find more and more reasons — as the technology becomes congruent — to be optimistic about the future. An underlying raison d’être of HOU is that students can effectively learn science by actually doing science in “real-world” situations — skills of data analysis, experiment planning, collaboration and cooperation. Such skills are necessary for the future well being of students all over the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the International Planetarium Society, presents a brief history of the organization, discusses its structure, elucidates some challenges it faces and changes it may undertake over the next few years, and examines those issues in light of the changing nature of planetariums and the astronomy materials they present to their audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter recalls the history of the first European astronomy magazine in French, Ciel & Espace. The way it is currently produced is described, as well as the problematics of information sources. An account of the Nuit des Étoiles [Star Nights] is also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A few highlights in the history of Near-Earth Object research are outlined along with early, relevant IAU activities. The development of an IAU policy on this research and its implementation in relation to international organizations like the United Nations is described. Special attention is paid to the rôle of the IAU Minor Planet Center and how the IAU has dealt with related problems. An important issue, often causing controversy, has been the need to communicate findings on asteroidal motions that may lead to impact on the Earth within the next century. An account is given of the IAU’s involvement in this issue with the aid of several examples of noteworthy cases. Finally, recent activities aiming at a multidisciplinary scientific assessment of the impact hazard, involving the International Council for Science, is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1995, more than 140 planets around solar-type stars have been discovered. The great success of the first decade of observational research in exoplanets, where both the number of planets detected and the number of research groups in the field have grown in parallel, will be followed by a golden age in exoplanet discovery. In the next 15 years, current and planned searches with observatories in space and on the ground will increase this number by at least two orders of magnitude unveiling the distribution of masses, periods and eccentricities of exoplanetary systems. We will possibly see the discovery of Earth-like planets around other stars and major efforts will be conducted to detect signatures of biological activity in their spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter examines the salient characteristics of Space Law. It analyzes the origins and evolution of Space Law, its main international principles, and some current topics of interest to the scientific community: the delimitation of airspace and outer space, intellectual property, and criminal responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1987 the American Astronomical Society Newsletter has published some 142 Letters to the Editor that provide the personal statements and concerns of astronomers about the policies, priorities, and experiences of being an astronomer. While these Letters do not provide a scientific sampling of the issues, they do provide an illuminating picture of the astronomical scene as seen from the perspectives of our colleagues. I describe the history and policies of the Letters section, then summarize the issues presented and debated in these Letters. The topics (in order of numbers of Letters published) are: (1) publishing and refereeing, (2) how the AAS and IAU conduct their business, (3) jobs and how to get them, (4) support for astronomy, (5) scientific units and time, (6) public policy issues, (7) planning for telescopes and space missions, (8) how astronomers do their work, (9) women in astronomy, (10) the work environment, and (11) other issues. A chronological list of the Letters by title and author is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a comparison of 1000+ references to 20 papers in four fields of astronomy (solar, stellar, nebular, galaxy), we found that the citation counts in Science Citation Index (SCI) and Astrophysics Data System(ADS) agree for 85% of the citations. ADS gives 15% more citation counts than SCI. SCI has more citations among physics and chemistry journals, while ADS includes more from conferences. Each one misses less than 1% of the citations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the application of citation-based scientific impact measures described by Pearce (2004), listing various caveats and things to consider before they can be reliably applied. We also examine the 1000 most cited astronomy papers: as of December 2004, 279 citations were needed to obtain a place on this list. Using this list we count the number of papers published by each author, finding those astronomers with the most entries. For the 15 authors who appear most often we apply the impact measures of Pearce and compare these to those of the field as a whole. Finally we compare the output of the most cited members of the Astronomical Society of Australia to those at the University of Durham, illustrating the effect of a citation hotspot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists, observatories, academic institutions and funding agencies persistently review the usefulness and productivity of investment in scientific research. The Science News Metrics was created over 10 years ago to review NASA’s performance in this arena. The metric has been useful for many years as one facet in measuring the scientific discovery productivity of NASA-funded missions. The metric is computed independently of the agency and has been compiled in a consistent manner. Examination of the metric yields year-by-year insight into NASA science successes in a world wide context. The metric has shown that NASA’s contribution to worldwide top science news stories has been approximately 5% overall with the Hubble Space Telescope dominating the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this chapter, we outline how a metrics program for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has been developed at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). We highlight results regarding the productivity and impact of the HST. We also present a comparison with other major observatories and discuss the importance of the data archives. The process and results presented here can be reproduced by other facilities wishing to monitor and improve their scientific output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Effelsberg 100m radiotelescope is an internationally highly requested astronomical instrument. Here we describe the Programme Committee Effelsberg (PKE) and how observing proposals are evaluated by the PKE. Additionally, some information about the scheduling process is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of selecting the best proposals for observing time on observatories in space and on the ground is vitally important for astronomy and is generally done well, but the system has problems and can be improved. I identify four types of bias that enter the process when the oversubscription of observing time is large. The negative interaction between the large oversubscription rates and these biases should be recognized and can be mitigated. I believe that selection committees provide the most competent and least biased advice when they are given a modest number of proposals (roughly 50) covering a coherent but modest range of scientific topics, and the approximate time allocations among the committees covering the different scientific topics are driven largely by proposal pressure. There are several mechanisms for revising when necessary the allocations of observing time among the various committees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar observing programs are different from their night-time counterparts. The need to obtain a unique dataset in a long-established field drives a very flexible setup of instrumention at solar telescopes. This in turn requires heavy involvement of the user in customized instrument definition and layout. The instrument setup, selection procedures, and user statistics at the Dunn Solar Tower (DST) of the National Solar Observatory (NSO) at Sacramento Peak are discussed as a typical example of a solar observing program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observing stations at elevations in excess of 4000m are rare. This report discusses the efforts to sustain and preserve one such site in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, in North America. The long-term value of such sites can be measured in terms of their optical and infrared characteristics, as well as their ability to inspire astronomers and students to study the universe. The sustainability of this site is yet to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the current situation of astronomy and astrophysics in Austria: the institutes, the funding situation, international connections. The lack of access to large telescopes is especially pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although New Zealand is a young country, astronomy played a significant role in its early exploration and discovery during the three voyages of Cook from 1769. In the later 19th century several expeditions came to New Zealand to observe the transits of Venus of 1874 and 1882 and New Zealand’s rich history of prominent amateur astronomers dates from this time. The Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (founded in 1920) has catered for the amateur community. Professional astronomy however had a slow start in New Zealand. The Carter Observatory was founded in 1941. But it was not until astronomy was taken up by New Zealand’s universities, notably by the University of Canterbury from 1963, that a firm basis for research in astronomy and astrophysics was established. Mt John University Observatory with its four optical telescopes (largest 1.8 m) is operated by the University of Canterbury and is the main base for observational astronomy in the country. However four other New Zealand universities also have an interest in astronomical research at the present time. There is also considerable involvement in large international projects such as MOA, SALT, AMOR, IceCube and possibly SKA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By looking back at the last half century and beyond, an understanding emerges in the patterns and influences of the social, fiscal and institutional development of astronomical institutions and observatories. In this paper, the authors review many changes that have transformed how astronomers build and use their “great telescopes”; they also examine the evolving process that maximizes the productivity and impact of undertaking modern ground-based optical/infrared astronomy. The integration of modern engineering and experimental practices, broadened access to largescale funding and international competition, all have a role in these changes. A changing social paradigm has moved these ventures from the scientific elite into the realm and structure of tightly managed projects involving close partnerships between engineers and scientists. Astronomer’s observational methods have changed in fundamental ways as well, driven by the complexity of the instruments used and their tremendous cost. The conclusion of this paper is that optical/infrared ground-based astronomy is in transition. “Hundred-million-dollar-scale” 8m to 10m telescopes have been erected and now our communities have billion-dollar-scale ambitions. To realize these ambitions, the same communities need to relinquish cherished notions of individual and even institutional dominance and merge into large, productive consortia consisting of institutions and multi-national agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa has about 1.4% of the world’s population of professional astronomers. In terms of research output, African astronomers produce less than 1% of the world’s astronomical research. The problems confronting African researchers have been discussed extensively in numerous studies. In this paper, we discuss concrete efforts aimed at building research capacity in astronomy in Africa. There are several favourable factors supporting these efforts. These include a more favourable political climate than in the past, new large-scale facilities for ground-based astronomy and new partnerships for training and research on the continent. Various capacitybuilding activities are discussed as well as some of the lessons learnt from such activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]