International Year of Astronomy

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/international-year-of-astronomy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the official declaration?By the 62nd General Assembly of the United Nations
2. What is the coordinating body?International Astronomical Union (IAU)
3. Why was the year 2009 chosen for the International Year of Astronomy?2009 marked 400 years since Galileo first used a telescope to look at the sky, and it also celebrated the publication of Kepler’s book that helped explain how planets move.
4. Who organized the International Year of Astronomy?The International Astronomical Union, with support from UNESCO and the United Nations, led the planning and activities for the celebration.

Heliocentric Model: The astronomical model in which the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun.
Celestial Mechanics: The branch of astronomy that deals with the motion of celestial bodies under the influence of gravity.
Scientific Literacy: The ability to understand and interpret scientific information and engage with scientific issues.