MEDIA ADVISORY On December 4th, 2008, the International Polar Year 2007-8 (IPY) will launch its seventh International Polar Day focusing on research Above the Polar Regions, including meteorology, atmospheric science, astronomy, and the view of the polar regions from space. This event coincides with the start of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA). During the week of December 4th, IPY scientists will make themselves available to discuss their research and answer questions from university students, the media, general public, and school children. Activities include live events, a world-wide ‘launch a virtual weather balloon

Below is a list of Press officers responsible for IPY events around the world.

Please also consult National IPY Committees for information on national events.

ICSU: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , ICSU Paris
WMO: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Australia: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Government Antarctic Division
Canada: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Canadian IPY secretariat

This activity is also available in downloadable flyers in many languages Each day, automated meteorological systems and human observers around the world produce and share weather data through a global network. Predictions centres use the observations to produce global, regional and local forecasts. The quality of these forecasts depends on accurate weather observations from polar regions. image: Nicola Munro, Halley Research Station, Antarctica Obs...

Images from Space, that we obtain from satellites, gives us a unique View of the Polar Regions,- and help us to learn a lot about processes happening on the Earth. In addition, satellite images are helping IPY researchers on the ground by providing images of the area they are working in, and even providing practical information like where the sea ice is in their area. This is one of many examples of IPY researchers colaborating across disciplines, in order to gain more knowledge overall, for everyone. Below is information about Satellite observations during IPY (GIIPSY), where to download amazing i...

The Polar regions provide unique locations for observing layers of the upper atmosphere and outer space. This page provides an introduction to Polar Astronomy, and to some of the most wonderful places on the planet where people work, and what they do there. This stamp shown above, which was an IPY release by Australia Post, has a wealth of information about Polar Astronomy. The telescope is the SPIREX telescope at the South Pole and the image behind is of organic molecules in space - an infrared image that resulted from data taken by this telescope when at the Pole. Professor Michael Burton wrote a ...

photo credit: Lars Poort, Greenland An aurora is a wavering glow of light that is seen sometimes in the night sky in the direction of the North or South poles. The ones we see in the Northern Hemisphere are sometimes also called the northern lights. An aurora is caused by very fast, charged particles—mostly electrons—that came from the Sun. Because of the earth’s magnetic field, these are partially deflected so that they come into our atmosphere toward the North and South poles. When nitrogen molecules of our air are hit by those fast particles, they become very excited molecules. They become ordinary molecules again by giving off energy as light. That gives the faint wavering glow we call an aurora. Thanks to ...

Atmospheric Studies help us understand chemical and physical processes occurring above the Polar Regions. Meteorological studies help us understand how these processes interconnect with the rest of the planet, and polar observations are critical for our understanding of global weather patterns and climate. This page gives an overview of the Polar Atmosphere and Weather. NSF image: polar stratospheric clouds Polar Atmosphere The study of the atmosphere above the poles is crucial to our understanding of the climate and weather systems. The transport of pollutants from industrial...

Here you can find instructions on how to launch a virtual balloon in several languages: Afrikaans: 1. Teken in op Tagzania (of skryf verniet in om jou nuwe rekening te aktiveer as jy nog nie het nie). 2. Kies die opsie om 'n nuwe plek/posisie by te voeg, regs bo by “Add a new place” . 3. Soek jou gebied/posisie of klik op “Go directly to the map”, en vind jou area deur in te zoem. 4. Trek die ballon na jou presiese posisie toe. 5. Voeg 'ipy2008abovethepoles' in as 'n sg. 'tag' in die boksie wat verskaf word. 6. Voeg 'n titel by in die Titel Boksie wat verskaf word, en skryf dan j...

Instructions in other languages Launch a virtual weather balloon to show your participation in this International Polar Day: Above The Poles. 1. Weather Observation Observe the weather today, where you live, and record air temperature, rain, wind, visibility and cloudiness. For more ideas, visit this ...

Material for media related to IPY research above the polar regions, and the Above The Poles Day on December 4th, 2008. image: Lars Poort PRESS RELEASES To be added to the IPY media list, please contact {encode=" This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it " title="Rhian Salmon"}. Above The Poles Media Release Press release as PDF ...