This IAU–UNESCO Symposium 260 ‘The role of Astronomy in Society and Culture’ celebrates the 400th anniversary of the beginning of modern astronomy marked by when Galileo turned a telescope to the sky making so many astounding discoveries that changed our perceived position in the solar system. This talk celebrates that cosmology has entered this era in an even deeper and profound discoveries that have changed our perception of the universe and our place in it. As such cosmology is a great interest and educational tool for capturing the attention of the young and broadening their perspective. The first portion of the talk outlines and reveals some of these observations and the second with examples and vision of how this can provide an encompassing storyline for STEM learning. This proceedings also emphasizes the key role that partnerships including the private sector are valuable, critical, and rewarding part of the effort.

The Universe Observing Center is one of the parts of the Parc Astronòmic Montsec (PAM). PAM is an initiative of the Catalan government, through the Consorci del Montsec (Montsec Consortium), to take advantage of the capabilities and potential of the Montsec region to develop scientific research, training and outreach activities, particularly in the field of Astronomy. The choice of the Montsec mountains to install the PAM was motivated by the magnificent conditions for observing the sky at night; the sky above Montsec is the best (natural sky free of light pollution) in Catalonia for astronomical observations. The PAM has two main parts: the Observatori Astronòmic del Montsec (OAdM) and the Universe Observing Center (COU). The OAdM is a professional observatory with an 80-cm catadioptric telescope (Joan Oró Telescope). This telescope is a robotic telescope that can be controlled from anywhere in the world via the Internet. The COU is a large multipurpose center which is intended to become an educational benchmark for teaching and communicate astronomy and other sciences in Catalonia. The management of the COU has three main goals: 1) Teach primary and secondary school students in our Educational Training Camp. 2) Teach university students housing the practical astronomy lectures of the universities. 3) Communicate astronomy to the general public. The COU comprises special areas for these purposes: the Telescopes Park with more than 20 telescopes, a coelostat for solar observations and two dome containing full-automated telescopes. The most special equipment is “The Eye of Montsec”, with its 12m dome containing a multimedia digital planetarium and a platform for direct observation of the sky and the environment. During 2009 we expect around 10000 visitors in Montsec area to enjoy science with Montsec dark skies and an special natural environment.

Launched in 1887, the “Carte du Ciel” was an international project aiming at photographing the entirety of the celestial vault. Tasks required for this huge undertaking were divided among 18 observatories around the globe. Instruments were standardized and a series of international conferences established operating modes and prescribed norms to be followed everywhere. In each observatory, however, the drive toward uniformity ran into a variety of minor technical and practical problems. In this paper, we examine the strategies mobilized by observers to tinker with stated rules and adapt them to their own experience as astronomers. To underscore the tension between normative prescriptions and individual practices, we consider the Bulletin of the Permanent International Committee for the execution of the Carte du Ciel as an informal forum where various queries raised and arrangements adopted were shared among the scientific community.

“Astrophysique sur Mesure” (astrophysics made-to-measure) is a set of e-learning programmes started 4 years ago at the Paris Observatory. In order to deliver attractive and efficient programmes, we have added many multimedia tools to usual lectures: animations, Java applets. The programmes are presented on two different platforms. The first one offers the content of all the lectures in free access. A second platform with restricted access is provided to registered students taking part in the e-learning program and benefiting from the help of tutors. The development of these programs helps to increase the sphere of influence of astronomy taught at the Paris Observatory, hence to increase the presence of astronomy in various degree courses. Instead of teaching classical astronomy lectures to a happy few, we can bring astronomy and astrophysics to a wider audience.

Human beings are born astronomers. Ever since they learnt to walk upright they have looked at the sky and wondered. The sky has remained the same but not its meaning. We can distinguish between three phases in the history of humankind's relationship with its cosmic environment: (i) propitiatory phase; (ii) negotiatory phase; and the current (iii) sky-as-an-object explanatory, phase. My concern here is to discuss the interplay between astronomy and culture in general in the Indian context. Much of the discussion belongs to the negotiatory phase. More specifically I discuss how in the formative era, sacred texts influenced astronomy, how these texts themselves were modified under the influence of new scientific developments, and how mythology was upgraded to keep pace with science.

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences (AASS) play an effective rôle in Sciences, Technology and Community Development. Unfortunately, a small percentage of this knowledge is actually used in teaching at schools, universities and other academic institutions in Arab countries. The challenge is to provide effective professional development for AASS educators and researchers at all levels, from elementary school to university.There is an urgent need for a better communication channels among Arab astronomers and space scientists nowadays. In this respect, the best choice is to identify in the vast cultural heritage of the Arab basin, particularly in astronomy. Building modern and good observatories, planetariums and research centres in the region jointly by Arab astronomers and space scientists is essential and will be an excellent step towards developing AASS. The aim of this paper is to show the importance of the formal and informal astronomical research and education, giving examples of possible astronomical projects, and comments of the experiences that have been carried out in a few Arab Countries. We show as well the importance of the Astronomical Societies in developing Science and Technology in the fields of AASS, and the role of these societies on the community and the country development.

The popular event Nuits des étoiles has become in France the summer encounter with the sky. More than 400 events are set up for three consecutive days each year: several thousands of voluntary organisers invite more and more people to observe the heavens and discover astronomy. Each summer, those collective star parties reach about one hundred thousand people, several millions of sky maps are printed and distributed by newspapers and the associated TV live program broadcast by France 2 channel interested 1 to 3 millions spectators. Since 1991, Nuits des étoiles has helped to develop organisations at the local level and increased the stakeholders' interest in general public awareness. It contributed in France to strengthen and professionalise an astronomical leisure offer.

The Organizing Committee of Commission 27 has decided to again provide a somewhat abbreviated bibliography as part of this triennial report, as astronomy-centered search engines and on-line publications continue to blossom. We focus on selected highlights in variable star research over the past three years. Further results can be found in numerous proceedings of conferences held in the time frame covered by this report.

The activity of the Minor Planet Center continued generally to increase during the two triennia covered by this report, principally because of the continuing success of the surveys for near-earth objects. Chief among these has been the Lincoln (Laboratory) Near-Earth Asteroid Research Project, or LINEAR, which is credited with the discovery of slightly more than half of all the minor planets that have been numbered, although since 2005 the Catalina Sky Survey and Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona and the Siding Spring Survey in New South Wales (all three of which, together with the long-lasting Spacewatch Survey, are operated from the University of Arizona) have come to dominate the field. The total number of observations of minor planets in the MPC's files more than doubled from 14.1 million in mid-2002 to 30.9 million in mid-2005, with almost another doubling, to 55.4 million, in mid-2008.

Division IX provides a forum for astronomers engaged in the planning, development, construction, and calibration of optical and infrared telescopes and instrumentation, as well as observational procedures including data processing.

The Working Group FITS (WG-FITS) is the international control authority for the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) data format. The WG-FITS was formed in 1988 by a formal resolution of the IAU XX General Assembly in Baltimore (MD, USA), 1988, to maintain the existing FITS standards and to approve future extensions to FITS.

The IAU Working Group on Libraries was officially recognized for the first time in the Transactions of the IAU XXIA Reports on Astronomy (McNally 1991), but librarians were involved in Commission 5 activities before that (largely due to the efforts of George A. Wilkins, president of the Commission from 1982 to 1988, see Transactions of the IAU XXA Reports on Astronomy, Swings 1988). Wayne Warren (NASA GSFC, MD, USA) and Helen Knudsen (Calech, CA, USA) were the group's first chairpersons, Brenda Corbin (U.S. Naval Observatory) became Helen Knudsen's successor in 1990. Since 1996, Fionn Murtagh (School of Computer Science, Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland) and Uta Grothkopf (European Southern Observatory, Germany) have been co-chairs.

In the last decade there has been a tremendous increase of interest in studying processes occurring on IS dust. In part this is due to the availability of ground-based and space-borne high quality instruments which have been used to detect molecules in diverse astrophysical environments, from protoplanetary disks to hot cores and dense clouds. It has also been recognized that IS dust has an important role in the formation of molecules, from molecular hydrogen to methanol. Therefore, it is necessary not to study only properties of dust, but also understand how atoms and molecules interact with and on dust.

This short report describes some highlights in extragalactic research over the past three years, and lists the main symposia and meetings in the domain.

Commission 20 has been involved in the discussion on discovery credit rules of solar system objects (mainly concerned with asteroids) in particular with the role played by dynamicists in recovering objects by linking their orbits with previous apparitions. A working group was set up to discuss the issue that was integrated by professional astronomers as well as amateurs. There was some exchange of opinions and conflicting views, but the trend of the majority was to keep the discovery credit for the discoverer whose observations led to the object's principal designation, as expressed in the MPC existing rules (see <cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/info/HowNamed.html>), considering only exceptionally credit for dynamicists when linkage of different apparitions led to the recovery of a lost object. The precise definition of non-trivial linkage should be worked out, and for the time being, the idea is to keep the existing MPC rules and, if necessary, to improve them, rather than starting a new set of rules.

The members of IAU Commission 29 Stellar Spectra are actively engaged in the quantitative analysis of spectra of various types of stars. With large and medium size telescopes equipped with high resolution spectrographs LTE and Non-LTE analysis of spectra of all types stars are being carried out. Spectra of stars in our Galaxy, in globular and open clusters, stars in LMC and SMC and in nearby galaxies are being studied. Accurate chemical composition analysis of various types of stars has been carried out during the past three years. Now the analysis of stellar spectra covers the wavelength range from X-ray region to IR and sub-millimeter range. Recently stellar spectra are being analysed using time-dependent, 3D, hydrodynamical model atmospheres to derive accurate stellar abundances.

The IAU Working Group (WG) on Numerical Standards for Fundamental Astronomy has been tasked with updating the IAU Current Best Estimates (CBEs), conforming with the IAU Resolutions, IERS Conventions and Système International d'Unités whenever possible. As part of its effort to achieve this, the WG is working in close cooperation with IAU Commissions 4 and 52, the IERS, and the BIPM Consultative Committee for Units.

The Working Group on Planetary System Nomenclature (WG-PSN) develops, maintains and publishes guidelines for naming natural satellites of planets and surface features on all solar system bodies except Earth. When required the WG approves lists of new nomenclature, with accompanying explanatory notes, based on the established guidelines. Approved names are immediately added into the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Objections based on significant, substantive problems may be submitted within a 3-months period, and will be ruled on by Division III.

The Working Group Virtual Observatories, Data Centers, and Networks was established under Commission 5 at the Prague General Assembly in 2006. The purpose of the WG is to provide IAU oversight of the activities of the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA, <www.ivoa.net/>), to encourage data centers and other data providers to archive and publish data according to IVOA standards, and to help assure that astronomical research facilities are electronically linked with current network technologies. The WG coordinates activities closely with the WG-FITS, as the IVOA uses FITS as its primary format for binary data exchange, and the WG on Astronomical Data.

A continuation of this WG was voted for at the IAU GA 2006 in Prague. The International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) is defined by the positions of 212 distant quasars at radio wavelengths. The primary, optical reference frame is the Hipparcos Celestial Reference Frame (HCRF), which is the Hipparcos Catalog without astrometric ‘problem’ stars (in: H. Rickman (ed.) 2001, Proceedings IAU XXIV General Assembly, Transactions IAU XXIVB (San Francisco: ASP), Resolution B1.2). The Tycho-2 catalog with its 2.5 million brightest stars forms the first step in the densification of the optical reference frame. However, the limiting magnitude of about V = 12 of the Tycho-2 catalog is not sufficient for most applications in astronomy and the goal of this IAU Working Group is to further extend the grid of highly accurate positions and motions toward more and fainter stars. The web site of this WG is at <ad.usno.navy.mil/dens_wg/>.