Sunday, November 29, 2009

Do Amateur Astronomers Still Need the International Astronomical Union?

Given that a significant number of us amateur astronomers have been hurt when the International Astronomical Union declared that Pluto is no longer a planet back in 2006, do we still have a need for the IAU?


By: Vanessa Uy


There’s no denying it, a significant number of us amateur astronomers – and that includes me – were hurt when the International Astronomical Union reached a consensus back in 2006 to declare that Pluto is no longer a true-blue planet. Instead, the IAU downgraded it dwarf planet status or something. Given our disdain over this somewhat hasty decision, do we amateur astronomers still have a need or even care for the International Astronomical Union? After all, when the Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein wanted chemical weapons technology from his Western allies, he didn’t even asked the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry for permission. As does Saddam Hussein’s notorious henchman called Chemical Ali when he decided to use a mixture of sarin, mustard, and hydrogen cyanide gas on the Kurds living in the boarder town of Halabja over their “questionable” loyalties to Saddam Hussein, right? And given that my amateur astronomy buddies were told since the Pluto incident that the International Astronomical Union is somewhat powerful when it comes to this matters. And as being one of the main endorsers of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy together with UNESCO and the International Council of Science, will those of us who harbor the belief that Pluto is a bona fide planet be at a disadvantage?

When the International Astronomical Union or IAU was founded in 1919, its mission was to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects through international cooperation. The IAU’s individual members – structured in Divisions, Commissions, Working Groups and Program Groups – are professional astronomers from all over the world, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, and active in professional research and education in astronomy. Also, the IAU collaborates with various organizations with its 9,598 individual members in 87 countries around the world – in which 64 countries are National Members.

The IAU also works to promote astronomical education and research in developing countries through its Program Groups on International Schools for Young Astronomers, or ISYA, on Teaching for Astronomy Development (TAD) and on Worldwide Development in Astronomy (WWDA), as well as through joint educational activities with COSPAR and UNESCO. The IAU in cooperation with the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation also provides grants and prizes. Like the Gruber Prize in Cosmology, which were first awarded in the year 2000 and the Gruber Prize for Women’s Rights, which was first awarded in 2003. Fortunately, the IAU & the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation didn’t fell victim to the Bernard L. Madoff hedge fund fraud that came to light back in December 2008.

When it comes paying silly amounts of money to have a celestial body officially named after you, the IAU – as an international scientific organization – usually dissociates itself entirely from the commercial practice of “selling” fictitious star names. Including “real estate” on other planets, or the moons of other planets in the Solar System. Accordingly, the IAU maintains it is not in competition with supposedly competing businesses that will accept money to have a star or other celestial body named after the payee.

As I had explained before, those trying to set-up their own illegal backyard crystal meth manufacturing laboratories need not contact the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry or IUPAC for permission. So, do we amateur astronomers who are unhappy over the International Astronomical Union’s declaration that Pluto is no longer a bona fide planet still have any obligation to the IAU? After all if one of us disgruntled amateur astronomers discovers a new comet in the near future. Does the IAU have the power to disqualify an amateur astronomer from having the new comet named after him or her just because he or she still believes that Pluto is a true-blue planet? Only time will tell.