Today seems like an auspicious occassion to mention that 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, as Benjamin Banneker and Carl Sagan (both American astronomers) were born on November 9th.
This celebration coincides with the 400th anniversary of the first recorded astronomical observations with a telescope by Galileo and the publication of Johannes Kepler's Astronomia Nova in the 17th century. The purpose of IYA2009 is to help people rediscover astronomy, and thereby reexperience a personal sense of wonder and discovery.
The official IYA2009 site includes special events and projects. You can access it here. For additional databases and links on this subject, check out the Science and Technology category from the Recommended Links section of the Milwaukee Public Library home page.
