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if anything I just felt admiration for her. The page is wonderfully run, and every single post she makes
is utterly fascinating. Science and astronomy have become extremely popular subjects in recent years.
Modern technology has made astronomy much more accessible to the general public, probably more so
than any other branch of science. Amateur astronomers can work hand in hand with professionals, sharing
and analysing data from their own back garden. The success of Galaxy Zoo is a great example; volunteers
classifying galaxies from their arm-chairs. Many of you will have heard of Hanny van Arkel and “Hanny’s
Voorwerp”. Hanny is a Dutch Biology teacher, and she discovered the “unusual object” in 2007. Since then
she has become a minor celebrity within astronomy circles! The internet allows people to control and take
photos remotely using some of the world’s largest telescopes. Distance learning is also playing a vital
role in bringing astronomy to the masses. People can study any number of astronomy or science qualifications part-time whilst still working, and once achieved, these qualifications can open up a whole new
career path for people. All of these things provide an awesome opportunity for amateurs, but also could
be really important for women who want to have a career in science or astronomy but who may find it
more difficult to make an impact through the traditional channels.
There is certainly a need for the encouragement of more women into science and astronomy, and with
astronomy currently being such a popular subject, now is the time for that to happen. Just last week, on
31st October 2013, Professor Dame Athene Donald, gender equality champion from the University of
Cambridge, kicked off a debate at the BBC’s inaugural 100 Women Conference on why there are so few
women in science and technology. 8 The founders of The Knowledge Observatory have recognized this
need, and they set up the UK Women in Astronomy Network (UKWIAN). The Knowledge Observatory are
a social enterprise, who enable young people who have become disengaged from education to take part
in their learning program which harnesses their interest in astronomy and uses it as a platform for education in other subjects such as English, maths and computer science. They also provide personal development programs. They organised the first astronomy festival to be held in the North West of England, and
this took place on the weekend of 26th and 27th October 2013 in Runcorn, Cheshire. They also set up the
ICY SCIENCE | WINTER 2013- 2014