IAYC 2008 - First Announcement

IAYC 2008 - First Announcement (received by university astronomical club mailing list)

Once more the International Workshop for Astronomy e.V. is engaged in
organising an astronomical youth camp for young people from all over
the world, the "International Astronomical Youth Camp" (IAYC). I am
writing to you as I think you, the readers of your magazine, or the
members of your club could be interested in hearing about the IAYC
that this year will take place in Sayda, Germany.

The IAYC 2007 that took place in Tremesek, Czech
Republic has been a big success and we spent 3 fantastic weeks with our
participants! This year we will return to Sayda where we have
organised the camp in 2004. We hope we can count on your support
again to speard the word of this years camp.

Every year, for more than 39 years now, the IAYC takes place somewhere
in Europe. About seventy people from many different countries live
together for three weeks. They are from 16 to 24 years old and share
the same interest: astronomy. The IAYC is different from most
astronomical camps for two reasons: the international character and
the fact that each participant does her/his own small research
project, not just accepting facts but rather discovering them
him/herself. The IAYC is also not like a hotel where one follows a
summer school or an astronomy course. Every participant with his or
her own cultural background forms an important piece in the complex
puzzle of camp life.

Below this e-mail you will find our official announcement of the IAYC
2008. In case you have the possibility to publish this announcement in
your club magazine or distribute it in any other way among the members
of your club, we would appreciate that very much.

AYC 2008, July 20th - August 9th
44th International Astronomical Youth Camp
Sayda, Germany

The International Astronomical Youth Camp (IAYC) 2008 will take place
in the small town of Sayda, Germany (2.300 inhabitants). Sayda lies in
the federal state of Saxony with the nearest large towns in the
surrounding being Chemnitz (40 km) and Dresden (45 km) in Saxony and
Prague (100 km) in the Czech Republic.

The IAYC is an international youth camp with participants from about
20 different countries. As a participant you work for three weeks in
one of the 8 working groups - together with other young people - on
astronomical projects. The projects vary from night-time observations
to theoretical problems, depending on your own interests. The working
groups will be led by young scientists from the IAYC team. In IAYC
2008 we offer working groups which study a wide variety of topics:
Ancient Astronomy, Astrogenises, Basics of Astronomy, Compact Objects,
Extragalactic astrophysics, Observational Astronomy, Radio Astronomy
and Solar System

Apart from the astronomical program, there are many non-astronomical
activities such as group games, sport events, singing evenings,
hiking tours and an excursion. Since it is an international camp, the
camp language is English. You should be able and willing to speak
English throughout the camp. It is not necessary to speak English
fluently.

The accommodation for the IAYC 2008 will be a very pleasant youth
hostel called "Jugendherberge Sayda". The house offers plenty of space
for all participants and working groups. At walking distance there is
a field which can be used for observations. The remote location of the
house promises excellent observing conditions. There will also be a
darkroom available to the people who want to develop astropictures.

Anyone from 16 to 24 years old and able to communicate in English may
participate in the IAYC 2008. The fee for accommodation, full board
and the whole program, including the excursion, will be 550 Euro. For
interested persons who are in the situation of not being able to pay
the camp fee themselves, a limited number of grants is available.

Detailed information about IAYC 2008 will be made available in
December 2007. If you have any questions, wish to be notified when
more information becomes available or want to order - free of charge -
an information booklet including an application form, please contact:

Ana Brajovic
Svetog Save 20/1a
11000 Beograd
Serbia

tel.: +381 642 623182
e-mail: info@iayc.org

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International Astronomical Youth Camp
IAYC 2008, Sayda, Germany
website : http://www.iayc.org/
more info : info@iayc.org