Le lancement de l'Année Mondiale de l'Astronomie 2009 à
Paris s'est déroulé avec faste au siège de l'UNESCO
à Paris ces 15 et 16 Janvier. Etaient présents à
cette cérémonie officielle quelque 400 invités,
personnalités scientifiques et du monde de l'Astronomie, une
brochée de prix Nobel, et des représentants de la plupart
des pays du Monde. La délégation Algérienne,
conduite par Dr.N.Seghouani du CRAAG et formée de quatre astronomes
professionnels d'Algérie et de la diaspora, ainsi qu'un étudiant
de l'Ecole Doctorale d'Astrophysique de Constantine, a dignement représentée
l'Algérie. Elle a de plus présentée quatre communications
et une exposition au Séminaire sur l'Astronomie et la Culture
qui s'ensuivit, le plus grand nombre de communications parmi les pays
en développement. Notons l'absence notoire des pays arabes
dans cette manifestation d'envergure mondiale.
L'Astronomie Amateur Algérienne à
l'honneur au Sénat Français
En marge de ces activités, et sur invitation de la Société
Astronomique de France, une conférence fut donnée par
le Prof.J.Mimouni de l'Université Mentouri de Constantine et
président de l'Association Sirius d'Astronomie au Palais
de Luxembourg, siège du Sénat Français,
sur l'astronomie en Algérie dans le cadre d'une série
de conférences donnée lors de l'exposition "Citoyens
du Ciel". Devant un parterre constitué d'éminents
scientifiques et astronomes, un tableau détaillé fut
brossé de l'astronomie amateur dans notre pays, ses réalisations
et ses ambitions.
The large auditorium of UNESCO on D-day a short
while before the effective opening. |
| 
The Opening ceremony took place on January 13,
in the presence of some 400 guests, the permanent representatives
of the various UN countries and countless journalists. The Opening
Panel included Mr.Koichiro Matsuura, the UNESCO's General
Director, Mrs. Cezarski, the Head of the International Astronomical
Union, and several Ministers from some EU countries. |
 Here
the Algerian delegates, from left to right Hamid Hamidani a
Sirius member and graduate student at the Ecole Doctorale d'Astrophysique
at Mentouri University, Prof.N.Guessoum at the American University,
Sharjah, Dr.N.Seghouani from Algiers Observatory (CRAAG), and
I.Fernini from El-Ain University at the Emirates, in addition
to the photographer J.M. from Mentouri University at Constantine.
|
| 
Here N.Seghouani the Algerian Spoc on the first
day with an enigmatic smile on the face. |
The lecture by Nassim on "Astronomy in Algeria"
at the IAU symposium.
|
A talk on the by J.M. from Sirius in one of the sessions of
IAU260 symposium: "Popularizing Science through Astronomy,
an Algerian Experience in Grassroot Activism and its Academic
Spin-off"
|
The student Hamid Hamidani from Algeria who was the representative
for Algeria's youth. Here standing in front of his astrophysical
poster. |
Ilyes Fernini from El- Ain University lecturing |
|
Entertaining visitors at the 'Algerian corner". Here the
delegations from brotherly countries Bengladesh (F. R. Sarker
and Dr. A.R.Khan), and Nigeria.
|
The Algerian Popular Astronomy stand. Taking Sirius as
an example of amateur astronomy in Algeria. Related in those
posters are the various Sirius activities throughout the years,
the many sighting campaigns across the lands...
|
Reading... |
Nassim, Jamal and Kepler (Kepler from the USA
not from Germany, aka John McFarland) with the Sirius posters
in the background. |
The exhibition was placed in the lounge room next to the main
auditorium and the traffic was rather intense.. |
 Even
the various picture sessions were taken with the Sirius stand
in the background. Here the spocs ( representatives of the countries)
from all over the world taking a picture with Ms. Cezarski the
head of IAU.
|
 Here
the students representatives of the various countries taking
a picture with Ms. Cezarski the head of IAU.
|
|  Here
with George Saliba from Columbia University at NewYork, the
well known specialist of early Islamic astronomy.
|
And here with André Brahic, the famous French planetologist
that we had as a guest on a TV show that Sirius produced with
the National Algerian TV channel back in the nineties.
|
With our friend Phillip Morel, the SAF president. |
So many famous astronomers were around that it wasn't difficult
to oblige some for a picture. Here Nassim with Michel Mayor,
the Swiss astronomer who discovered back in 1995 the first exoplanet. |
A rich program of cultural activities ran in
parallel to the opening ceremony, including an artistic exposition
with many exposants at the Miro's gallery next to the conference
hall. Here the TWAN's corner. See also below. |
 |
Click for another beautiful picture of the Tour Effel. |
Sirius
at the French Senate
|
|
Philippe Morel, the SAF President, during his
visit at Constantine at the latest Algerian Astronomy Fair on
Popular Astronomy, invited Sirius to give a talk at their program
taking place at the Palais du Luxembourg, the seat of the French
Senate. |
Needless to say one needed to show many "pattes
blanches" before entering inside the French Senate. It
is indeed a place that most of the ordinary French citizens
won't ever come inside.
Here displaying the Sirius logo inside the Senate! |
|  Like
a museum!
One had to cross various treasure rooms before reaching the
Clémenceau Auditorium where the lecture program was to
take place.
|
Many historical tableaux and famous busts...More
here. |
 A lecture "Hymne à l'Astronomie d'Amateur
: le cas de l'Algérie" was delivered on the
first day by the Sirius president
to a well garnished auditorium of eminent scientists and
intellectuals in addition to journalists and members of the
SAF. This was part of a one day long series of lectures organized
by the SAF as a special celebration of the International Astronomy
Year.
|
Another view with in the foreground a scene of an astronomical
trip of the Sirius members. |
| 
A view of the audience.
|
Another activity which took place at the Senate was the award
giving ceremony related to the Jules Janssen prizes for 2008
and 2009. Here Philippe Morel, the SAF's president, delivering
the welcome address. |
A. Dollfuss, the well known astronomer and past
SAF president presenting the 2008 laureate's accomplishment
for which the latter got the Jules Janssen prize. This prize
was established to reward a scientist with a life long astronomical
accomplishment. |
It went to Jan Olof Stenflo, the well known Swedish solar astrophysicist. |
Likewise, Mrs. Catherine Cezarsky was the laureate of the Jules
Janssen prize for 2009. |
...with Prof.Pierre Léna as the introducer. |
|
Here Nassim and Jamal standing between Ms Cezarsky, the IAU
head and the recipiendaire of the medal. At left Philippe Morel
the SAF president passing by...
|
A central piece of this rich program was the
exhibition "Citoyens du Ciel" in hommage to Camille
Flammarion, the Society's founder and perhaps the greatest French
astronomy popularizer. Nassim standing in front of an antic
jewel, a refracting telescope in brass. |
Other valuable telescopes were on display like above and at
right in this unique astronomy alley, right in the middle of
the Senate. |
|
|
The SAF's president, Philippe Morel, insisted
that we visit the historical Juvisy-sur-Orge
observatory (l'Observatoire de Camille Flammarion)
founded in 1883 and which is a propriety of the SAF and will
return to it for use very soon while still on lease to the Juvisy
municipality. |
Here the SAF intertwined with Sirius. P.Morel its president
at left with Pierre Poulat his vice president (The third from
the right) while Hamid stands in between them and Jamal at the
right. |
The visit to the telescope room in the uppet floor. |
The pier of the telescope. The telescope itself has been taken
out to be refurbished. |
The cupola in wood. |
The tomb of Camille Flammarion the SAF founder in the park |
The observatory, in addition to the main building hosting the
telescope, the library and other dependencies, consists of a
large property with a vast garden and even places of prehistorical
setting. Another building across the street is part of the property
and will be used as a new SAF activity center in the near future.
Good luck for the SAF in their future endeavors! And may the
spirit of Juvisy be with them. |
.gif){kind=spacer}
