Acting Statutes/Regulations
on the International Astronomy Olympiad
General Part.
With the aim of providing a steady development of astronomy and
spreading astronomical knowledge, of enhancing the development of
international contacts in the field of school education in astronomy
and physics, in recognition of the growing significance of astronomy
in all fields of science and human culture, and in the general
education of young people, an annual astronomy competition has been
founded by the
Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society (EAAS)
for secondary school students; the competition is called
The International Olympiad of the Euro-Asian Astronomical Society
(in short - The
International Astronomy Olympiad or "IAO")
and is a competition between individuals.
Founding and promotion of the idea of the "International
Astronomy Olympiad" has been done with the assistance
of the Euro-Asian
Association of Astronomy Teachers (EAATA),
Special Astrophysical
Observatory of Russian Academy of Sciences (in Niznij Arkhyz),
P.K.Sternberg
State Astronomical Institute (in Moscow) and the
Moscow-Regional
Branch of the M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University (in Chernogolovka).
The International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO) is held every year
in autumn starting 1996, in various
countries. Teams of school children (winners of national olympiads)
from all interested states take part in the Olympiad.
The fundamental principles for the organization, realization
and holding of the Olympiad are defined by the Founders and stated
in the Founding Statutes and the
EAAS-EAATA Declaration about The
International Astronomy Olympiad.
The First International Astronomy Olympiads were held in the end
of XX century in frames of the Autumn Schools for Young Astrophysicists
in the Special Astrophysical Observatory of Russian Academy of Sciences.
Participation in the International Astronomy Olympiad
signifies acceptance of
the Founding Statutes
and present
Statutes/Regulations
by the Authorized National Representative
Organization of the participating country.
1. Aims and Purposes of the Olympiad.
The International Astronomy Olympiad is one of the ways to
popularize natural science among children and young people,
singling out the most gifted students. The main purposes of the
Olympiad are:
2. Basic Principles, Statutes and Regulations
of the Olympiad.
2.1. Statutes and Regulations of the Olympiad.
Basic principles of organization, realization and holding
of the Olympiad are defined by the Founders and stated in the
Founding Statutes of the IAO
and the EAAS-EAATA Declaration about The International Astronomy
Olympiad.
On the basis of the Founding
Statutes and the EAAS-EAATA Declaration
the Olympic Coordinating Council elaborates
and if necessary replenishes the present "Acting
Statutes/Regulations on International Astronomy Olympiad"
which are approved by the Olympic Coordinating Council
(# 7.2.) with recommendations of a
conference of authorized representative persons from the founding
organizations and participating states (# 7.7.)
and ratified by the Congress (General Meeting) of
the Euro-Asian Astronomical Society. The Supplementary Instructions may be ratified by the Board of the
EAAS.
The Acting Statutes/Regulations specify the principles
of the organization of the Olympiad and define the actual
forms of its realization and holding. The Statutes/Regulations
are valid from the moment of their adoption and ratification
(approval) by the EAAS till new or corrected regulations are
adopted.
The present Statutes/Regulations have been drafted on
the basis of the Founding Statutes on
the International Astronomy Olympiad, the
EAAS-EAATA Declaration about The International Astronomy
Olympiad and experience gained during many years of
international competitions. Structure of the Founding Statutes
has been used. Statutes of the International Olympiads on Physics and Mathematics have been taken into account and some of its
points have been used.
Actual forms of realization and holding the Olympiad,
which are not stipulated in the Statutes/Regulations and the
Supplement Instructions, are defined by
the Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.).
Details which are not stipulated by decisions of the Olympic
Coordinating Council to be defined by the Chairman of
the Olympic Coordinating Council.
2.2. Originals of the Acting Statutes/Regulations.
The originals of the first edition of the
Acting Statutes/Regulations were written
partly in English and partly in Russian.
The first edition of the Acting Statutes/Regulations
was ratified by the IV General Meeting of EAAS.
The originals of the next editions of the Acting
Statutes/Regulations should be written in English.
A full English edition (translation to English)
of the Acting Statutes/Regulations has been
carried out by the Olympic Coordinating Council for the
ratification by the V General Meeting of the EAAS.
The current edition of the Acting Statutes/Regulations
has been adopted by the EAAS Board on June 5, 2005, according
to resolution of the VIII EAAS Congress (June 1-6, 2005).
Additions adopted on May 27, 2006.
The next edition of the Acting Statutes/Regulations
should divide the document into two ones: the Statutes
itself and the Regulations.
The original texts of the Supplementary Instructions should be written in Russian
or in English. In the case of absence of text of a Supplementary
Instructions its contents to be defined by the Chairman of the
Olympic Coordinating Council.
The original text of the Statutes/Regulations
is to be kept by the Chairman of the Olympic Coordinating
Council (# 7.2.).
The original texts of the Supplementary Instructions are to be kept by the Chairman
of the Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.).
The original texts of the Statutes/Regulations and the
Supplementary Instructions are written in HTML-format.
2.3. Atmosphere and spirit of the Olympiad.
The International Astronomy Olympiad is conducted in the
friendly atmosphere designed to promote future collaborations
and to encourage the formation of friendships in the scientific
community.
None of the possible political or religious tensions
between the participants should be reflected in any activity
during the competition. Any political or other type activity
directed against any individuals or countries is strictly
prohibited.
The International Astronomy Olympiad is postulated as
a secular event. Is it highly desirable for the teams and
participants to avoid any religious activity during the
Olympiad and hide their religious and political accessories.
Is it highly desirable for the teams and participants
to follow the cultural and household traditions of the host
region (country, province of the country, settlement, observatory)
and traditions of the Olympic movement.
All discussions of the principles and rules of the Olympiad,
recommendations to the organizers and participants should be
correct and tolerant. The discussions cannot be spread outside
the community of representatives from the organizations-founders
and the states participating in the Olympiad.
A person who refuses to follow the above mentioned principles
of friendship and tolerance may be barred from participation
or punished in another way.
No state (country) may have its team excluded from participation
on any political grounds resulting from political tensions, lack of
diplomatic relations, lack of recognition of some country by the
government of the organizing country, imposed embargoes and
similar reasons. When difficulties preclude formal invitation of
the team representing a country students from such a country
should be invited to participate as individuals.
The organizations organizing the Olympiad (Coordinating
Council, Local Organizing Committee, institutions, etc.)
should prevent misuse (incl. advertisements)
of the Olympiad, astronomy, astronomical equipment and
correlated events for commercial purposes.
3. Organizations Sponsoring and Holding the
Olympiad.
3.1. Organizations Sponsoring and Holding the Olympiad.
The International Astronomy Olympiad is sponsored and held
by the Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society (EAAS),
Euro-Asian
Association of Astronomy Teachers (EAATA),
European
Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE),
astronomical organizations of the
participating states and other organizations.
The current Olympiad, organized every year, is held by
the Organizing Committee based on the Authorized National
Representative (Astronomical) Organization (ANRAO, # 7.1.) of the country on whose
territory the Olympiad takes place and the astronomical
research centre where the Olympiad takes place.
The ANRAO (# 7.1.) organizing the
Olympiad is obliged to ensure equal participation of all the
delegations, and to invite all the participants and observers
defined by the Advisory Committee (# 7.6.).
Additionally, it has the right to invite (with
the permission of the Olympic Coordinating Council
(# 7.2.)) other countries.
The Olympiad has to be organized only in town (settlement, city)
with working astronomical research centres: observatories, astronomical
institutes or universities with a considerable astronomical department.
Other places for the Olympiad are not appropriate. At least once
every three years the Olympiad has to be organized by an
astronomical research centre of the historical territory of the
Astronomy Olympiads (Russian Federation, Crimea or Moscow land).
Note: The requirement "At least once every three years..."
was in operation for the initial period of the Olympiad only (1996-2010).
In a case of absence other candidates-organizers for the
IAO in some year the Olympiad in this year to be organized by the
Special Astrophysical
Observatory of Russian Academy of Sciences (in Niznij Arkhyz,
North Caucasus).
Within three years of its entry into the Olympiad a country
(by the Authorized National Representative (Astronomical)
Organization (# 7.1.)) has to declare its
intention to be the host for one of the future Olympiads
(including acceptance of all financial obligations).
The mentioned declaration makes obligation to organize the
registered international IAO-type event (# 4.6.)
in two years after the declaration.
A country, which refuses to organize the competition in
accordance with the current Statutes/Regulations, may be
barred from participation or punished in another way (by
increasing their participation fees, for example), even if
a delegation from that country has taken part in previous
competitions.
3.2. The obligations of the organization - candidate to carry out an IAO.
The candidate-organizer (the Organizing Committee based on
Authorized National Representative (Astronomical) Organization,
# 7.1.) is obliged:
The decision of organization the Olympiad in the concrete
place can only be ratified by the Board of the Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society after a report done by Chairman
of the Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.)
about preparations for the Olympiad of all candidates-organizers
and their organization of "IAO-type events" (# 4.6.).
3.3. The obligations of the organizer (host Astronomical
Centre).
The organizer is obliged to ensure that the Olympiad is
conducted in accordance with the Statutes/Regulations and
the Supplementary Instructions,
including all financial obligations (# 9.1.).
The organizer should produce a set
of Organization Rules, based on the Statutes/Regulations
and the Supplementary Instructions, and send them to the participating
states in good time. The set of Organization Rules should be written
by the organizer in both official languages of the IAO
(# 6.). These Organization Rules shall give details
of the Olympiad not covered in the Statutes, and give names and
addresses of the institutions and persons responsible for the Olympiad.
The organizer establishes a precise program for the
competition (schedule for the participants, leaders and
observers, program of excursions, etc.); the schedule
of the main points of the program (opening and closing
ceremonies, rounds, etc.) should be sent to the participating
teams in advance.
The organizer should check immediately after the arrival
of each delegation whether its contestants meet the conditions
of the competition.
The organizer must provide the teams with interpreters from
the native language of organizers to one of the official languages
of the Olympiad (Russian or English).
The organizer must carry out the competing part of the
Olympiad in accordance with the
Supplementary Instructions N 1.
The organizer must carry out the noncompeting part of the
Olympiad in accordance with the
Supplementary Instructions N 2.
The organizer publishes a review of the Olympiad on the Internet
in form of a web-page. Within three months after the end of the
Olympiad this page must list the problems and names of winners
and prizewinners. Publication should be done at least in both
official languages of the Olympiad and the native language of
the state where the organizer is placed. The organizers, however,
may issue the review in other languages as well.
4. Procedures and Participants of the Olympiad.
4.1. The Olympic Period.
The Olympic Period for International Astronomy Olympiad to
be held is defined as the period of two first months of
"Astronomical Autumn", i.e. from September 22 till November 22
(every year). An International Astronomy Olympiad should be
started held during this "Olympic Period".
4.2. Procedures before the Olympiad.
The place and preliminary dates of the Olympiad should be
finally defined by the Chairman of the Olympic Coordinating
Council (# 7.2.) and ratified by
the Board of the Euro-Asian Astronomical Society
not later than March 22 of the current year.
The final dates should be determined not later than
May 22 of the current year.
The Olympic Advisory Committee (# 7.6.)
notifies the Authorized National Representative (Astronomy)
Organizations (# 7.1.) of the participating
countries the name and address of the observatory,
scientific centre or university assigned to the organization
of the next Olympiad and
dates of its holding.
4.3. Duration and Schedule of the Olympiad.
The minimum duration of the Olympiad is defined as
10 days (9 nights). The Local Organizing Committee may
extend the duration of the Olympiad. The competing part of the Olympiad
should be carried out on the following days:
from the 3rd to 6th in 10-days programme;
from the 3rd to 7th in 11-days programme.
The recommended programme for the Olympiad is defined by the
Supplementary Instructions N 6.
4.4. Procedures concerning the competing part of the Olympiad.
The competition is held in three separate parts:
A theoretical, a practical and an observational round.
In each round the students are offered a few problems
(or one complex problem).
There should be two possibilities in the schedule
to organize an observational round. In the case of bad
weather during the both proposed times the observational round
is to be abolished or changed by examination using artificial
sky, pictures, photos, etc. (in a planetarium, for example).
Actual procedures of the observational round are written
in the Supplementary Instructions N 1.
The time allotted to solving the theoretical problems
should normally be 4 hours, the practical problems - 3-4
hours. Rules of the observational examinations should be
defined by the Local Organizing Committee not later than
3 months before the beginning of the Olympiad.
When solving the problems the contestants may use tables
of logarithms, slide-rules, non-programmable pocket calculators
and drawing material. These aids will be brought by the students
themselves.
Organizers may support participants with
"the table of physical constants and well-known astronomical
facts", which comprises the various data in physics and
astronomy. This table should be known for the participating
states not later than 3 months (13 weeks) before the beginning
of the Olympiad. Other tables and collections (incl. mathematics
or physics formulae) are not allowed.
The marks available for each problem are defined in advance by
the organizer of the competition, but the total number of points for
the theoretical problems should be 40-48, for the practical 20 and
for the observational 20.
(Extra points are possible for the most excellent solutions.)
The problems of the practical round should consist of theoretical
analysis (planning, discussion) and execution.
The problems of the observational round should be connected with
the real sky. The contestants should be prepared for the sky of
the place of the Olympiad.
A participant cannot be "barred" (or disqualified) because of
his knowledge, i.e. for using facts (figures, formulae, etc.)
known to him, which may be not evident for jury members.
All winners and participants of the Olympiad will receive
diplomas (Diploma of the I-st prize, Diploma of the II-nd prize,
Diploma of the III-rd prize, Diploma of participation)
depending on the number of points achieved.
(It is possible unofficially to call the first three types of
Diploma as Gold, Silver and Bronze medals respectively.)
The Jury Board of the Olympiad is responsible for defining
appropriate boundary points between the four kinds of Diploma.
The distribution of prizes should be separate for each age group.
Special prizes may be awarded as well. Diplomas should be designed
as defined by the Supplementary Instructions N 8.
Additional rules for organizing the competing part of the
Olympiad are defined by the Supplementary Instructions N 1.
In case of the absence of rules (incl. absence of the
Supplementary Instructions N 1 or other Supplementary Instructions at the initial period of IAO's) or
the necessity of some additional rules these should be defined
by the Chairman of the Olympic Coordinating Council
(# 7.2.).
4.5. Participants. Groups of participants.
School children of two groups (alpha group - "juniors" and beta
group - "seniors") take part in the Olympiad. These groups are defined
by the following:
Note: In general, the age limits are defined for the
stimulation of astronomy education in the youngest grades of the
secondary schools and realization of the main purposes of the
Olympiad (# 1.6. in particularly). There are
many other astronomical competitions and conferences for students
of age 17-20.
4.6. IAO-type events.
In order to stimulate founding and organizing of
various (national, regional, etc.) astronomy olympiads,
invigorating activities of faculties, circles, sections,
scientific societies and clubs in the various countries and
their provinces, preparation for the future International
Astronomy Olympiads the IAO-type events to be held. These
might be open national astronomy olympiads, regional (in
national or international scale) olympiads or other kind of
olympiads with a duration and main points of programme like
at IAO (# 4.3.).
Organizers of an IAO-type event may register it at the
Olympic Coordinating Council. For the IAO-type event made as
a preparation for the future IAO such a registration is
obligatory. Registration includes observation of the event by
the Chairman of the OCC (or his/her deputy).
Actual forms of the IAO-type events are written in the
Supplementary Instructions N 4 "IAO-type
events and Schools for Young Astrophysicists".
5. Participating States. Formation of Teams.
5.1. General rules for participating teams.
5.1.1. Teams of the states-members
(i.e. the states registered # 5.1.3.) at the Olympic
Coordinating Council # 7.2.) take part in the International
Astronomy Olympiad.
5.1.2. Moscow city/land and
Peninsula of Crimea, as organizers
of the oldest open astronomical olympiads/competitions (more
than 50 years), and due to their historical service in the formation
and development of IAO, are considered as independent states with all
rights and duties for all Olympiads.
5.1.3. Registration for participating in the IAO may be done:
for any country which ANRAO organized IAO during last ten years;
for any country from which an official team was sent to an
IAO during last five years;
for any country from which an official ANRAO observer was sent to
an IAO during last three years;
for a few some countries according to special possibilities metioned
in the Supplementary Instructions N 3.
Registration for participating in the IAO to be done by the
Chairman of the Olympic Coordinating Council.
Note: List of the actual
states-members is here.
5.1.4. For the initial period of the Olympiad (1996-2005):
City (settlement, town, province, region or territory)
may represent Astronomical Research Centre and participate as separate
team at the current Olympiad in the following cases:
the Astronomical Research Centre is a host of the current IAO
and has organized preliminary registered international IAO-type event
(# 4.6.) not earlier than two years before the
current IAO.
Note: This possibility has been used by hosts two times:
only at VIII (Stockholm) and X (Beijing) IAOs.
the Astronomical Research Centre was a host of the previous IAO
and has organized preliminary registered international IAO-type event
(# 4.6.) after that IAO. (I.e. to participate at
the next after IAO-host year with a separate team organization of one
more registered international IAO-type event is necessary).
Note: This possibility never has been used in IAO history.
the Astronomical Research Centre has organized registered
many years traditional international IAO-type events
(# 4.6.), and the traditions being long so
that number of such events have to be at least or more than half
of number of the current IAO.
Note: This possibility never has been used at all since the
IAO was found.
the Special Astrophysical Observatory due to its historical
service in organizing the first IAOs in the end of XX century
in the case of organizing registered international IAO-type event
(# 4.6.) not earlier than two years before
the current IAO.
Note: This possibility officially been used only one time
(in 2002 when SAO was a host as well) since the IAO was found.
5.1.5. Authorized National Representative (Astronomy)
Organizations (# 7.1.) of the states are
responsible to form the teams of their states.
5.1.6. Each participating state may send a team consisting
of students of general or technical secondary schools: winners
of National Astronomy Olympiad
and maybe prize-winners (Diploma of the I-st and II-nd prize)
of one of the previous International Astronomy Olympiads.
Number of persons in the delegations defines by
National representation quota.
5.1.7. For the initial period of the Olympiad (1996-2007)
there are additional possibilities (for regions, cities and towns)
to form teams as proposed by the
Supplementary Instructions N 3.
5.2. National representation.
5.2.1. National representation quota. This quota
may be done for the countries, whose ANRAO (#
7.1.) organizes National Astronomy
Olympiads recognized by the Olympic Coordinating Council
(# 7.2.), including organization of the
National Astronomy Olympiad during the current year.
The issue about fulfilment of the last requirement to be
done by the Advisory Committee (# 7.6.).
The quota is:
not more than 3 participants for the younger age group.
not more than 2 participants for the senior age group.
prize-winners (I-st or II-nd Diploma) of the previous
for him or for her IAO, but not older than the age limit
(* not used such a possibility before *).
exactly 2 team leaders (specialists in astronomy or astronomy education).
5.2.2. Representation quota for teams from the other
countries:
not more than 2 participants for the younger age group.
not more than 1 participant for the senior age group.
prize-winners (I-st or II-nd Diploma) of the previous
for him or for her IAO, but not older than the age limit
(* not used such a possibility before *).
exactly 2 team leaders (specialists in astronomy or astronomy education).
5.2.3. For the initial period of the Olympiad
(1996-2005) in order to popularize the Olympiad there
may be some exceptions from these rules as proposed by
the Supplementary Instructions N 3.
5.2.4. Maximal number of possible observers from
a state may be defined by a common solution of OCC and LOC.
5.2.5. No other accompanying persons are possible
if it is not stipulated by a common solution of OCC and LOC.
5.3. Leaders of the teams and observers.
Every team should be accompanied by two team leaders.
Participation with the only team leader or with larger number
of team leaders is forbidden.
Both team leaders and observers should be specialists in
astronomy or astronomy education and be well experienced in
leading teams of students for remote trips.
(Possible ages of leaders and observers may be defined by the
local organizers as well.)
It is recommended that team leaders to be at least 26 y.o.
(Note: LOC may use this restriction as an official limitation).
One of the leaders invited from each state is designated
delegation head and is responsible for the whole delegation.
The other is the pedagogical leader and is obliged to take part
in work of the jury (# 7.5.) and so to meet
necessary for jury member requirements.
Officials of Ministries of Education may take part in
the Olympiad as additional observers.
The delegation head, the pedagogical leader and (if any)
observers must be selected from specialists in astronomy or
astronomy education, capable of solving the problems of the
competition competently. Each of them should be able to speak
English or Russian.
The delegation head of each participating team should, on
arrival, hand over to the organizers a list containing personal
data on the leaders, participants and observers (the content of
the personal data is defined by the
Supplementary Instructions N 7).
Every team leader and observer has to inform the organizers
in advance which of the working languages of the Olympiad he or
she would prefer: English or Russian.
5.4. Representative persons.
If other points are not mentioned by a decree of the Authorized
National Representative (Astronomy) Organization
(# 7.1.) the leaders (one or two from every
state) become the representative persons from a participating
state including that the delegation head become the "National
Representative Person".
Observers may become the representative persons from the other
(nonparticipating at the current Olympiad) states, but there can
be no more than 1 representative person from each such state.
The list the
National Representative Persons is to be kept by the Chairman
of the Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.).
6. Official and Working Languages of the Olympiad.
The official and working languages of the International
Astronomy Olympiad are Russian and English. The originals of
official documents about the International Astronomy Olympiad
(Founding Statutes, the current Acting Statutes/Regulations,
Supplement Instructions, etc.) are written in one of these
two languages, Russian being the initial administrative language
of IAO.
The Authorized National Representative (Astronomy) Organizations
(# 7.1.) of the participating states are responsible
and obliged for the proper translation of the initial and fundamental
official documents, circulars from Russian and from English languages
to the state's languages.
The official documents for the Olympiads, the competition
problems and the solutions to them must be prepared in both official
languages (Russian and English). The organizers may, however, prepare
them in other languages as well.
The delegation leaders are responsible and obliged for the
proper translation of the problems, tables and all other information
from the Russian or English languages to the mother tongue of
the participants.
7. Representative and Working Bodies of the
Olympiad.
7.1. Authorized National Representative (Astronomical)
Organizations.
There should be an Authorized National Representative (Astronomical) Organization
(ANRAO) in every participating state: A national
astronomical society, a department (section) of the EAAS or IAU
in the state, a leading observatory, an astronomical department
of a leading university, a ministry of education or another
appropriate competent institution.
Hereafter, the term of National Astronomical Society
is used in the meaning stated above.
An astronomical organization of a state which claims
to be the Authorized National Representative (Astronomy)
Organization has to send an application
to the Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.)
signed by the Chairman of the organization.
It is necessary to mention in the application the names of the persons
responsible to contact in Russian and in English.
Some documents (including translation of some official IAO documents
into native language) have to be included to the application
(see the Supplement Instructions about ANRAO).
In the case the only organization of the state claims to be the
Authorized National Representative Organization the juridical
power of the organization to be ANRAO started since the date of
receiving the application by the Olympic
Coordinating Council (# 7.2.) and till
not more than for 4 years (shorter period may be mentioned
in the decree of election/appointment) since the date of issuing
the application. Prolongation should be done by a confirmation or
a new application.
In very special cases (like serious changing in the IAO statutes)
the EAAS may cancel validity of all previous applications (even if formally
they are not expired) and demand every ANRAO to issue new version
of the application.
In the case several astronomical organizations
(two or more astronomical societies, two universities,
etc.) of the state claim to be the Authorized National
Representative Organization the preference should be given
to the organization that organizes national astronomy
olympiads/competitions. Points at issue should be
determined by a Decree of the
EAAS Board.
An Authorized National Representative (Astronomy) Organization
has to organize National Astronomy
Olympiad, form the team of the state to participate in IAO,
prepare annual report about National Olympiad to IAO, prepare
application to participate in coming IAO, etc.
An Authorized National Representative (Astronomy) Organization
has to supervise all events in its country connected with the
astronomy olympiads and promote the style of IAO for these events.
ANRAO has to prevent specialized training becoming more important than
intelligence. Particularly, the maximum length of training in a group
smaller than 50 students should not exceed two weeks.
An Authorized National Representative (Astronomy) Organization
has to communicate with the IAO bodies either in Russian or in English.
An Authorized National Representative (Astronomy) Organization
has to translate the initial and fundamental official documents of the Olympiad
from Russian and from English languages to the National language
(languages).
An Authorized National Representative (Astronomy) Organization
may elect or appoint "National Representative Person" for the
state in IAO. A decree of election (appointment) is valid
since the date of receiving the decree by the Olympic
Coordinating Council (# 7.2.) and till
not more than for 4 years (shorter period may be mentioned
in the decree of election/appointment) since the date of issuing
the decree. Prolongation may be done by a new decree.
In the case of absence (expiry) of such election (appointment)
the delegation head of the state's participated team become
the "National Representative Person" (# 5.4.)
for the next year (but only for 1 year).
An Authorized National Representative (Astronomical) Organizations
may nominate national candidate to the Olympic Coordinating Council
(# 7.2.). A decree of nomination is valid
since the date of receiving the decree by the Olympic
Coordinating Council (# 7.2.) and till
not more than for 4 years (shorter period may be mentioned
in the decree of nomination). In the case of expiry of such
nomination the official permission of the former OCC-member
to be canceled automatically. ANRAO may also cancel the
nomination earlier by a decree.
7.2. The Olympic Coordinating Council.
The long-term work involved in organizing the
Olympiads is coordinated by the Coordinating
Council of the IAO (Olympic Coordinating Council or Olympic Council) -
the leading body of IAO.
Methodical Commissions (# 7.9.) and other
commissions assigned to work in concrete directions are formed
under the Olympic Coordinating Council.
7.3. Formation of the Olympic Coordinating Council.
The Olympic Coordinating Council (OCC) consists of a Chairman
and members: members-representatives the founding organizations
mentioned in the Founding Statutes, leading international astronomy
organizations and representatives of some of the participating
states. The total number of OCC-members is defined to be
at least 9 and at most 17.
A preference to delegate a person to the OCC should be done for
the states having considerable traditions in organizing national
astronomy olympiads/competitions. For the beginning period of
the International Astronomy Olympiads (only a few states
participating) every participating state may have one
member in the Olympic Coordinating Council.
The Chairman has to be a member of the Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society and appointed by the Congress
(or Board) of EAAS.
Knowledge of the both official languages of IAO (Russian and English)
is obligatory for the Chairman.
For the initial period of the Olympiad (since founding and till
authorities of the Founding Chairman are valid)
the Chairman of the Olympic Coordinating Council is appointed also
as the Chairman (President) of the International Astronomy Olympiad.
Members-representatives of the founding organizations
and leading international astronomy organizations (like
IAU,
EAAS,
EAAE,
EAATA,
etc.) have to be nominated by the Boards of these organizations.
Members-representatives of the states should be nominated be
their national astronomical society or other Authorized National
Representative (Astronomy) Organization (# 7.1.).
The Chairman and at least 1/2 of the number of
members have to have a scientific degree of Dr.Sci. or
PhD in astronomy, physics or mathematics. Other members
have to be at least Magisters.
It should be possible to contact the Chairman and every
member of the Olympic Coordinating Council via e-mail in English.
Knowledge of Russian is highly desirable but not obligatory.
The election of all members has to be done by the Board
of the Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society. The Board will have to ask for
the necessary documents (for example, ones of scientific
degree) of every candidate.
Every decree of nomination is valid not more than for
4 years (shorter period may be mentioned in the decree of
nomination). In the case of expiry of such nomination the
official permission of the former OCC-member to be canceled
automatically.
Leading international astronomy organizations and ANRAOs
may also cancel the nomination earlier by a decree. The
cancelling of the official permission of the former
OCC-member due to cancelling of nomination to be done
by the Board of the
Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society.
7.4. Responsibilities of the Olympic Coordinating Council.
The Olympic Coordinating Council has the following
responsibilities:
7.5. The Jury Board.
The Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.)
forms an IAO Jury Board for the period of the current Olympiad.
Members of the Methodical Commissions (# 7.9.),
Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.),
scientists and teachers of the organizing states together with
scientists, teachers and amateurs from other states take part
in the work of the Jury Board.
The main requirements for the Jury members are:
Astronomy. To be a specialist in astronomy or astronomy
education, capable to solve problems of a level of the IAO and
a little higher.
Languages. To know Latin and Cyrillic alphabets,
English language and at least initial level of Russian language.
Jury member have to know English in a level enough to understand
solutions of students in English and to communicate with other
jury members about these solutions.
Rules and regulations. To be familiar with the rules
and regulations for a participant of the Olympiad.
The requirements for the Jury members, the recommended means
to form the Jury Board and the rules for its working are mentioned
in the regulations about Jury Board and Methodical Commissions -
Supplementary Instructions N 5 "Rules and
Regulations for a jury member of the Olympiad".
To ensure correct and just classification of the students
all grading has to be accepted by the members of the Olympic
Coordinating Council presenting on the current Olympiad.
The grading of the prize-winners and those who win honourable
mentions will be made public (but not earlier than after the
closing ceremony.
The Jury Board establishes the winners of the competition
and make a decision concerning presentation of the prizes and
honourable mentions. The decision of the Jury Board is final.
7.6. The Olympic Advisory Committee.
There shall be an Advisory
Committee convened at the Chairman of the Olympic
Coordinating Council (# 7.2.). The Olympic
Advisory Committee consists of: 1. The Chairman (the Chairman of
the Advisory Committee is the Chairman of IAO, if other not
postulated by a special decision), 2. The Secretary, 3. A member,
representing the host of the past Olympiad (as usual the Chairman
of LOC of the past Olympiad), 4. A member, representing the host
of the coming Olympiad (as usual the proposed Chairman of LOC),
5. Such other persons appointed by the Chairman.
The Advisory Committee has the responsibilities:
7.7. The conference of the representative persons.
A conference may be organized (for instance via-e-mail)
during three months after closing the Olympiad.
The representative persons from the states
(# 5.4.), from the founding organizations
(# 1. of Founding Statutes),
from the leading international astronomy organizations and
from the Host Observatory participate in the conference,
where they have equal rights and duties.
The conference has consultative rights to give recommendations
for the Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.),
the Olympic Advisory Committee (# 7.6.),
Local Organizing Committee (# 7.8.)
of the next Olympiad, participating states,
founding organizations, etc.
The restriction of three months is done for keeping stability
of the IAO and prevention uncertainties in preparing for the next
Olympiad. All the discussions about the rules of the Olympiad must
be done only during these three months. After that period the
conclusions of the discussuons should be summarized and the discussions
should be stoped till the end of the next Olympiad.
7.8. The Local Organizing Committee.
The Host Astronomical Research Centre (# 3.1.)
forms a Local Organizing Committee (LOC)
which should be appointed by the Authorized National Representative
(Astronomical) Organization (# 7.1.) of the
state where the observatory-organizer is placed and by the Olympic
Coordinating Council (# 7.2.).
7.9. The Methodical Commissions.
The Methodical Commissions are formed under the Olympic Coordinating
Council. There are three Methodical Commissions at the IAO:
Other functions of the Methodical Commissions are defined by
the regulations about Jury Board and Methodical Commissions -
Supplementary Instructions N 5.
8. Problems for the Olympiad, their
Preparation and Selection.
The scientific part of the competition must be within
the competence of the Olympic Coordinating Centre under
the control of professional international astronomy organizations
(like EAAS,
IAU).
The Methodical Commission (# 7.9.) of
the Coordinating Council jointly with the Commission of the
Astronomical Centre, where the Olympiad is held, prepares and
selects problems for the Olympiad:
The complexity of the problems depends on the various levels
of competence of the participants. It is advisable to select
problems where the solutions require a certain creative
capability and a considerable level of knowledge.
The Commission of the host observatory (scientific centre) has
to prepare spare problems for the practical round and one spare problem for
the observational round which will be presented to the Methodical Commission
(# 7.9.) of the Olympic Coordinating Council if some of
the initially proposed problems is rejected. The rejected problem cannot
be considered again.
Everyone taking part in the preparation of the competition
problems is obliged to preserve complete secrecy.
The commissions mentioned above formulate the problems
(including spare ones) in Russian and English. However, they may
prepare the texts in other languages as well.
9. Financing of the Olympiad.
The Olympiad is financed by fund of fees of the participating
states and funds of the Local Organizing Committee.
The financial principles of the organization of the
Olympiad are as follows:
9.1. Financial obligations of the Local Organizing
Committee.
9.1.1. The Local Organizing Committee has
to cover the following expenses for the participating
teams (for the official number of the students and leaders)
and for one authorized by ANRAO (# 7.1.)
observer (obliged to take part in jobs of jury) from the states,
which have never participated or observed in the IAO before:
9.1.2. The Local Organizing Committee has to cover
the following expenses for the Olympic Advisory Committee
(# 7.6.):
9.1.3. The Local Organizing Committee have to pay
the following salary:
9.1.4. Special financial Agreement between
EAAS and
the host organization (on which the LOC (# 7.8.)
is based - Astronomical Centre or the Authorized National
Representative Organization (# 7.1.)) to be
assigned to fulfill the points 9.1.2., 9.1.3.a. of the current
Statutes/Regulations. The recommended form for such Agreement
is defined by the Supplement Instructions N 9.
9.2. Financial possibilities (incomes) of the Local Organizing Committee.
The Local Organizing Committee may ask the Participating teams
for a participation fee:
(*) Note 1: 1 f.u. (financial unit) is equal purchasing power
of US$ 1 at the date of founding IAO.
(*) Note 2: This limit is not concern the Organizing
Committee of a state organizing Olympiad two or more times during
last 6 years, including Organizing Committee organizing the Olympiad
according to # 3.1. ...In a case of absence other
candidates-organizers for the IAO in some year...
(*) Note 3: Nevertheless this point was realized for
all 7 first International Astronomy Olympiads (IAOs 1996-2002).
9.3. Financial obligations of the Authorized National
Representative (Astronomy) Organization of participating state.
The Authorized National Representative Organization
(# 7.1.) of the participating country,
which sends the students to the competition:
9.4. Fund of the Olympiad.
The IAO Coordinating Council may form the Fund of the Olympiad
to cover the expenses partially or fully. The fund raises money from
allocations of states and organizations, holding the Olympiad,
sponsors' contributions and other payments of corporate and physical
bodies. The fund spends the money according to the estimate approved
by the Coordinating Council.
National organizing committees of the participating states
may form local (national) funds, incl. funds at the expense of
the educational institutions. These funds provide organization
of the national Olympiads through local organizing committees
and pay for the teams sent to the International Olympiad.
10. Status of the Olympiad.
The International Astronomy Olympiad has a status
of an international intellectual competition. The status of
the Olympiad may not be changed or transformed.
11. Alterations of the Basic Principles of
the Olympiad
Taking into consideration the significant and specific part
of Astronomy in the educational system and common human culture,
the fundamental principles of the Olympiad are defined initially
in the text of the Founding Statutes.
Correction and specification of principles of organization,
realization and holding of the Olympiad are realized by the
alteration of the "Acting Statutes/Regulations on the
Olympiad". Making changes in the text of the
Founding Statutes is not allowed.
Changes in these Statutes and Syllabus, the insertion of
new paragraphs or exclusion of old ones, can only be made by
the Olympic Coordinating Council, they require a qualified
majority of 3/5 of the number of the members (vote may be
done via e-mail).
In very special cases or critical situations the Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society, as the founder and the leading body of IAO,
may cancel validity of some points of the current Acting
Statutes/Regulation and Supplementary Instructions and oblige
the Chairman of the Olympic Coordinating Council to prepare new
version of the necessary documents for ratification (approval).
In any case the changes must be ratified (approved) by the following bodies:
- Changes in the Statutes:
- by the General Meeting (Congress) of the Euro-Asian Astronomical Society;
- Changes in the Regulations, Supplementary Instructions and Syllabus:
- by the Board of the Euro-Asian Astronomical Society.
Changes must be in accordance with the
Founding Statutes of the Olympiad,
the EAAS-EAATA Declaration about The International Astronomy
Olympiad and basic principles of Astronomical Science
and Culture.
All ratified changes to these Statutes/Regulations or
Supplementary Instructions may have juridical power only one
month after the publication new edition in the Internet and
the disseminating this information to all members of the
Olympic Coordinating Council (# 7.2.)
and representative persons (# 5.4.).
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