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Registered Charity Number 1146064

16th

March 2015

Dear Teacher

British Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition1

The BPhO has looked at the idea of sendin a team of school st!dents to participate in the

"nternational Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics2#"OAA$% This is r!n in a similar manner to the

"nternational Physics Olympiad& 'hich takes place each s!mmer& and for 'hich a team of () si*thform st!dents is selected +y means of a series of competition papers% The "OAA is a smaller e,ent

and& it 'o!ld appear& accessi+le to only a small n!m+er of st!dents 'ith a close kno'lede of the

field of Astronomy and Astrophysics% -o'e,er& this is definitely not the case% The +est st!dents to

compete are those 'ho are ood at pro+lem sol,in and 'ho ha,e a determination to de,elop

those skills and& alonside that& kno'lede of the topic material% The latter can +e ta!ht 'hereas

the former re.!ires a loner term approach +y the st!dent& his or her teacher& and the school%

/e 'o!ld hope that there are st!dents 'ho are keen to +e a+le to attend an international e,ent of

this kind% "t 'ill& for almost all& +e their first e*perience of an international science conference&

in,ol,in likeminded& ,ery foc!sed st!dents% "t is an e*perience that no one e,er forets% The sort ofst!dent 'ho 'o!ld do 'ell is a ood physicist and mathematician& 'ith a clear interest in

astronomy% /hilst their kno'lede is likely to +e limited& they 'ill +e familiar 'ith astrophysics at a

school A le,el standard%The st!dent m!st +e a ood pro+lem sol,er& interested in enain and

.!ickly de,elopin their kno'lede of the s!+ect% /e hope that teachers and schools 'ill +e

interested in enco!rain their st!dents to participate in this school competition%

A one ho!r Trial Paperand the sol!tions are +ein sent o!t 'ith this letter% Please feel free to !se it

as a reso!rce& or i,e the .!estion paper and sol!tions to yo!r st!dents o,er aster% The specialised

kno'lede re.!ired larely comprises the Doppler ffect and )epler3s 4a's of Planetary Motion%

ome smaller items are asked a+o!t& +!t they constit!te a smaller proportion of the marks%

There 'ill +e a one ho!r Competition Paperto'ards the end of April #'ith a s!ested date for

sittin of riday 27th

April$& a,aila+le for do'nloadin from the O*ford Online store in midApril% This

timeline is only for this year and is to test the 'ater% 8e*t year& it 'ill take place earlier& certainly

+efore aster% The competition 'ill res!lt in A'ards of 9old& il,er and Bron:e certificates& +!t it 'ill

not +e !sed to select a team for the "OAA this year% The competition is open to st!dents of any year

1The title BOAA is that of the s!+committee 'ithin the BPhO set !p for the manaement of this acti,ity% "t

comes !nder the o,ernance of the BPhO& a reistered charita+le tr!st%2Details of the "OAA and its formation can +e fo!nd in the /ikipedia article

http;

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Registered Charity Number 1146064

ro!p> those at A2 'ill enerally +e familiar 'ith the key physics ideas& 'hereas those at A 'ill

need to read them !p% B!t the paper is not on esoteric aspects of the s!+ect% A small n!m+er of

.!estions may in,ol,e a reater depth of astronomical kno'lede or !nfamiliar specialist terms& +!t

that is for the astronomers amonst the participants% These .!estions are not oin to contri+!te

reatly to the o,erall marks a'arded& and astronomy kno'lede is not ,ital%

Papers 'ill +e a,aila+le to order thro!h the O*ford (ni,ersity online store #accessed thro!h the

BPhO pae$ and 'ill +e sent at least a 'eek +efore the competition date% The !rl links for paper&

sol!tions and certificates to order online 'ill +e sent o!t !st after aster this year%

The Trial Paper and sol!tions 'ill +e a,aila+le for do'nload from the BPhO 'e+site

'''%BPhO%or%!k% Do please enco!rae yo!r st!dents to ha,e a o at the .!estions%

"f teachers 'o!ld like to +ecome in,ol,ed in this ne' ,ent!re& s!est .!estions& participate in

disc!ssin the ideas and the direction in 'hich this initiati,e miht o& aspects of practical

o+ser,ational trainin& the f!rtherin of astronomy in schools thro!h this& or any other aspect ofho' this miht +e !sed to de,elop st!dents3 interests& then do please et in to!ch% The

s!+committee 'orkin on this is composed of research st!dents in astrophysics& academics and

those 'ho teach astronomy in school% A 'ider participation from schoolteachers 'o!ld +e

'elcomed%

" hope that yo! 'ill 'elcome this opport!nity for st!dents to enae in one aspect of their skill

de,elopment thro!h a s!+ect area of reat interest to many%

?o!rs sincerely

@o+in -!hes

Chairman

British Physics Olympiad