DARTS of the Month

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Urban regeneration with astronomy images

keywords: image

This month, we report a note from a DARTS staff, Miura.

Science Culture Promotion Unit through Astronomy Image is a project which National Astronomy Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) has started in collaboration with Mitaka City Government since 2007.

The project holds several training courses for urban regeneration with science culture using astronomy images.

Science Image Creator Course: To bring up talented creators of scientific and astronomical visualizations using stereoscopic and dome theatrical techniques etc.
Science Producer Course: To bring up talents (for start-up, industry, business, etc.) who promote genuine scientific resources of 4D2U, Subaru Telescope etc.

Together with these courses, The project aims at four major achievements:

Development of talented creators and contribution to society through science and imaging technology
Establishment of intellectual property policy for NAOJ
International Science and scientific image festivals
An advance case of regional regeneration by means of science culture promotion in Mitaka City.

I attended the Science Image Creator Course (Image Course) last year. At the course, three teams made movies for dome theaters. Each team consisted of three or four students and two instructors. You can see the movies at the ashubunit's channel of Youtube.

Supernovae

The Sun

Exoplanets

The promotion unit is still going on. Ashubunit channel is also active. Stay tuned for forthcoming achievements of the unit.

Akira Miura (ISAS)

September, 2009