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About CAPjournal

— a free peer-reviewed journal for astronomy communicators, online and in print

Public communication of astronomy provides an important link between the scientific astronomical community and society, giving visibility to scientific success stories and supporting both formal and informal science education. While the principal task of an astronomer is to further our knowledge of the Universe, disseminating this new information to a wider audience than the scientific community is becoming increasingly important. This is the main task of public astronomy communication — to bring astronomy to society.

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 was a unique platform to inform the public about the latest discoveries in astronomy as well as to emphasize the essential role of astronomy in science education. However, as the astronomy outreach community expanded globally, it became increasingly important to establish a community of science communication experts.

The IAU DIVISION XII Commission 55 Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal Working Group prepared a study assessing the feasibility of the Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal (CAPjournal). The conclusions were inescapable. The present situation of public astronomy communication shows a clear need for a publication addressing the specific needs of the public astronomy communication community.

The main objectives are:
  • documenting and absorbing knowledge (“Teach and Train”);
  • providing a basis for discussions;
  • compelling further progress;
  • establishing priorities in the field;
  • furthering careers (through documentation of the excellence of the individual);
  • and helping to avoid the duplication of effort.

The journal is published quarterly, and is divided into 10 sections:

1. “News”
2. “Announcements”
3. “Reviews"
4. “Research & Applications”
5. “Resources”
6. “Best practices”
7. “Opinion”
8. “Column”

The “Research & Applications” section contains peer-reviewed science communication ‘research’ articles. “News” and “Announcements” present information and updates, such as conference reports from the astronomy outreach community. “Resources” and “Innovation” provide a repository of outreach ideas and cutting-edge astronomy communication methods respectively. “Best Practices” aims to be a guide, containing case studies, to the techniques that work best in communicating astronomy. “Opinion” provides space for subjective discussions of topics related to astronomy communication.

Public communication of astronomy is a burgeoning field of science communication. We would like to see the astronomy outreach community deeply involved in this journal’s evolution and production. Please feel free to send us your articles and reviews on communicating astronomy, as well as suitable books/websites/products for review in the pages of CAPjournal. Submission guidelines are here. Relevant advertisements are also more than welcome. We are eager to get your feedback, so please feel free to e-mail us at editor@capjournal.org.

Read more about the CAPJournal Project in this PDF article presented at the conference Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2007: The Communicating Astronomy with the Public Jounal - A study from the IAU Division XII Commission 55 CAPJournal Working Group


Open Access Statement
Users have the right to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles published in CAPjournal.

 

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Editor-in-Chief
Georgia Bladon

Executive Editor
Lars Lindberg Christensen

Editors
Anne Rhodes

Layout
Mafalda Martins
André Roquette

Web Design and Development
Raquel Yumi Shida

Members (IAU DIVISION XII, Commission 55 Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal Working Group)

  • Rick Fienberg (Sky & Telescope)
  • Richard de Grijs (Sheffield University)
  • Steve Miller (UCL)
  • Pedro Russo (IAU/IYA/ESA/Hubble)
  • Lars Lindberg Christensen (ESA/Hubble)
  • Andrew Fraknoi (Department of Astronomy, Foothill College)
  • Terry Mahoney (IAC)
  • André Heck (Strasbourg Astronomical Observatory)
  • Sidney Wolff (NOAO)
  • Paul Murdin (IoA University of Cambridge)
  • Sze-leung Cheung (IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach)

Licence

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License


Published by

IAU DIVISION XII Commission 55 Communicating Astronomy with the Public

Sponsored by

  • ESA/ST-ECF
  • Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal
  • Navegar Foundation, Portugal