UNAWE 2012 Impact Figures

To mark the end of a very busy and successful year inspiring young children with the delights of the Universe, UNAWE have gathered information from all corners of the extensive UNAWE international network to find out exactly what impact the project has had throughout 2012.

Read more at: http://www.unawe.org/updates/unawe-update-1304/

Supernova Hunters!

Check out this new space photo of a galaxy. It is the most detailed photo ever taken of this galaxy! In the picture it looks like a peaceful place, but astronomers have spotted the violent explosions of two stars in this galaxy over the past 30 years.

Read the full article in Sinhalese here.


Credits:
Text - ESO/UNAWE
Image - ESO
Translation: UNAWE-Sri Lanka (Rangitha Kuruppu)

The ‘O’ So Big Gobstoppers of the Universe!

The Universe is like a pick n’ mix store when it comes to the variety of stars that it contains. Read the full article in Sinhalese here.



Credits:
Text - ESO/UNAWE
Image - ESO
Translation: UNAWE-Sri Lanka (Rangitha Kuruppu)

Astronomers Make a Splash with a New Discovery

Did you know that everything on Earth is made of stuff from stars? If you could look at the world around you with a super-powerful microscope, you would see that everything is made up of tiny things called atoms. Today we know about more than 110 different types of atoms, with hydrogen being the most common atom in the Universe.

Full article in Sinhalese:

Open publication

Click here for English version.






Credits:
Text - ESO/UNAWE
Image - ESO
Translation: UNAWE-Sri Lanka (Rangitha Kuruppu)

A Flash from the Past

Astronomers can look back in time to when the Universe was younger. But they don’t have to hop into a time travel machine to do this, like in a sci-fi movie. Instead, all they need are powerful telescopes to look at objects that are far away in the Universe, because when we look at space we are looking at the past!

Full article in Sinhalese:

Open publication -

Click here for English version.






Credits:
Text - ESO/UNAWE
Image - ESO
Translation: UNAWE-Sri Lanka (Rangitha Kuruppu)

A Big Fiery Giant!

Using the VISIR instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have imaged a complex and bright nebula around the supergiant star Betelgeuse in greater detail than ever before. This structure, which resembles flames emanating from the star, is formed as the behemoth sheds its material into space.

Full article in Sinhalese:

Open publication

Click here for English version.





Credits:
Text - ESO/UNAWE
Image - ESO
Translation: UNAWE-Sri Lanka (Rangitha Kuruppu)

Our Universe is big, beautiful… and mostly invisible!

A team of scientists has studied the galaxy cluster Abell 2744, nicknamed Pandora’s Cluster. They have pieced together the cluster’s complex and violent history using telescopes in space and on the ground, including ESO’s Very Large Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope. Abell 2744 seems to be the result of a simultaneous pile-up of at least four separate galaxy clusters and this complex collision has produced strange effects that have never been seen together before.

Full article in Sinhalese:

Open publication

Click here for English version.





Credits:
Text - ESO/UNAWE
Image - ESO
Translation: UNAWE-Sri Lanka (Rangitha Kuruppu)

Astronomy in the Desert!

Professional astronomers have powerful telescopes that can take amazing pictures of the Universe. But to get the most out of the telescopes, they have to think carefully about where they put them on Earth.

Full article in Sinhalese:

Open publication

Click here for English version.

Credits:
Text - ESO/UNAWE
Image - ESO
Translation: UNAWE-Sri Lanka (Rangitha Kuruppu)

Space Scoop launched in Sri Lanka

Universe Awareness has started a collaboration with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory to produce the astronomy news service - Space Scoop - that are written specifically for children aged between 7 and 11 years old. Space Scoop is meant to feed children's curiosity about the Universe.

UNAWE - Sri Lanka launched Space Scoop in Sinhalese making it possible for all the Sinhalese reading children to learn latest in astronomy. The effort was launched during the June 2011 meeting of Sri Lanka Astronomical Association.

UNAWE Sri Lanka hope to translate Space Scoop in to Tamil in near future and to publish the articles in local papers.


Who can use this service?

Children — In a world where children are sometimes more technically savvy than grown-ups, Space Scoop is meant to feed their curiosity about the Universe, by allowing them to access ESO releases in their own language.

Parents — They can read about the latest discoveries in astronomy and explain them to children who are younger than seven years old or who do not use computers on their own.

Teachers — They can use Space Scoop as a resource in the classroom to discuss the latest discoveries.

UNAWE - Sri Lanka Coordinator introducing Space Scoop.