Astronomical Tourism in Chile - Elqui Valley and San Pedro de Atacama

Coinciding with the 400th anniversary of the first astronomical observation using a telescope, by Galileo Galilei and the publishing of the Astronomy nova by Johannes Kepler, 2009 has been declared the International Year of Astronomy (IYA 2009).

The proposal was made by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and supported by UNESCO - the UN figure responsible for educational, cultural and scientific politics after a formal proposal by the Italian Government. Finally, the UN General Assembly ratified this decision on December 19, 2007. The International Astronomical Union will coordinate the International Year of Astronomy in 2009. This initiative is an opportunity for the inhabitants of the earth to go deeper into astronomy and the enrichment of human cultures. Moreover, it will be a platform to inform the public about the latest astronomical discoveries, as well as emphasize the importance of the role of astronomy in science education.

Origin
 
Astronomy, the oldest science, has played a key role in culture for centuries. In 1609, Galileo Galilei first pointed his telescope towards the sky making amazing discoveries, which changed the perception of the world forever: mountains and craters on the Moon, a galaxy of stars invisible to the naked eye, phases in Venus and the four largest satellites of Jupiter. In the same year, Johannes Kepler published his Astronomia nova, which describes the fundamental laws of celestial mechanics. At the present, the astrophysical explanation includes how planets and stars are formed, how galaxies are created and how they evolve, and what is the large-scale structure of the Universe.

IYA 2009 Objectives
 
The International Year of Astronomy (IYA 2009) is a  global celebration of astronomy's contributions to society and culture. Its main objectives are to stimulate worldwide interest not only in astronomy, but in science in general, especially among young people. The IYA / AIA2009 is, above all, an activity of the people on Planet Earth, which conveys the excitement of personal discovery, the pleasure of sharing fundamental knowledge about the universe and our place in it and, ultimately, the value of scientific culture.