The International Astronomy Olympiad, also known as the “galaxy faring” event, is an international astronomical contest organized by the Royal Astronomical Society of India (RASI) and the Indian Institute of Astrometry (ISAS). This competition is held every four years, with the winner becoming the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Prize in Astronomy. The theme of this year’s competition is to build a new technological platform by which student teams from all over the world can improve their technological and scientific research work. The event is organized by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Delhi) and Raffles University in collaboration with the National School of Information Technology (NSTX) in India.
In the recent past, the astronomical competition was organized in India for the first time, and the first place was awarded to MIT, India’s foremost institute for higher studies in the scientific fields of astronomy, space and mathematics. The International Astronomy Union or the Astronomy Competition, which organizes the competition, selects the candidate teams based on the points obtained by each of the seven criteria, namely, experimental observations, data analysis, experimental analysis, observations results, and the reputation of the institute as well as the academic qualifications of the team members. After the completion of each stage of the selection process, the names of the winning candidates are announced, and a presentation is made to the public.
The examination procedure is an interactive one, and there are mock tests, exams, quizzes, experiments and simulations to test each of the candidate students’ skills and knowledge in different areas of the field. The International Astronomy Union, through its board of directors and the astronomy department, takes into consideration all the aspects of an organization and its selection procedure for the astronomical competition. It takes care of everything, from the planning, development and the programming of the competition itself, up to the actual examination and the judging of the competitors. Candidates may be examined individually, in groups or as a team and these are judged on their performance in various disciplines, including but not limited to the written examinations, numerical calculations, physical tests, experiments and simulations.
The first stage of the competition consists of two parts, namely the examination and the answer. This applies both to the American Astronomy Association and the European Astronomy Union. The standard examination consists of three parts and is divided between two and four individuals. The first stage consists of a question dealing with the properties of gases at different temperatures, and then the candidate will be asked questions concerning astronomy and quantum mechanics, including special and general theories, and the like. In the second stage, a short outline of the candidate’s work will be given, including the title of the research project, the aim of the experiment, the results, the methodology and any additional details. The last stage consists of a writing sample, a critical review of the paper and an actual examination.
There are several ways of registering for the American Astronomy Association’s national summer science fair. One way is by submitting a submission of at least five papers on astronomy and also at least two additional samples. For the abstract of each paper, it is required to include at least three years of full time education or experience, and this can be verified by consulting the institution’s website. International organizations, such as the Astronomical Society of London and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, have been offering the international Olympiad for almost ten years now. These contests attract thousands of students from over 100 countries, who reach the finals in Las Vegas, USA each year.
The International Astronomy Federation also conducts a pre-closed camp for aspiring young scientists. Students must come to this camp before the end of August, where they will get to participate in a number of hands-on activities, including lectures, demonstrations and hands-on experiments. Students must also complete a project, which is due at the end of the camp, and submit it as part of their final project. In order to receive a place at the final meeting, students must meet certain minimum criteria, such as having written all of their coursework and have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.3.