The Second International Workshop on Occultation and Eclipse (2011)

The Second international and annual astronomical occultation (level A) had been held in Dezful, Khuzestan, from 15 to 17 of November by Middle East Section of international occultation timing association (IOTA/ME) and also cultural heritage organization of Khuzestan center. 46 persons from Ahwaz, Tabriz, Tehran, Zahedan, Birjand, Dezful, Shiraz, Abadeh, Esfahan, Borojerd, Rasht, Arak and boushehr participated in this workshop. It is important to mention that participants permitted to be in workshop after general knowledge evaluation and interview.

Scientific parts of workshop:
1. Mr. Arya Sabouri considered by professors of IOTA by offering the new system of timing and imaging.
2. The scientific level of members of Middle East Section of IOTA and participants in this workshop had been described very high by two prominent foreign speakers, Dr. Eberhard Riedel and Mr. Paul Maley.
3. For the first work year of IOTA/ME , the selective persons have been selected, Mr. Mohammad Reza Mirbagheri and Mr. Farzad Ashkar.
4. As usual of occultation workshops, in this time participants (Mr. Ashkar, Daghighi, Valipoor, Lavari) presented their articles as a speech.
Other non-scientific parts of workshop:
5. Professors and special guests of the workshop had been welcomed in VIP section of Ahwaz international airport by Mr. Poor'farrokhi, administrator of cultural heritage organization of Khuzestan.
6. During the workshop, participants observed from monuments and natural phenomenon of Khuzestan. Observing from French castle, historical and ancient museum of Shush, holy Danial monument, Haft Tape historical hills, museum of Haft tape and observing Dez River and nature of Dez.
7. Same as all of the IOTA/Me workshops, at the end of workshop, board of trustees and members of this scientific institution hold a meeting.
8. Video conferences of this workshop had been done in 2.5 hours and without any technical problem.
9. At the end of workshop, the cultural heritage of Khuzestan given precious gifts like as illustrated book that introduced attraction and beauties of Khuzestan to participants.
10. General conference of astronomy had been held in Ahwaz just a day before workshop, by cultural heritage of Khuzestan. In this conference, Dr. Norouzi, Dr. Riedel and Mr. Poro had given speech about general astronomy. Also, in this conference, programs like “Shahname khani” and “Arabic sword dance” had been held.
12. All of the participants, professors and guests, in second day of workshop have been the guests of Dezful governor. In this ceremony, governor of Dezful, principal of Islamic Azad University, principal of Islamic city council, and main host of workshop, administer of cultural heritage organization of Khuzestan welcomed to professors and participants of the workshop.
The media sponsors of this workshop were channel 4 of IRIB, Avastar astronomy center, and Night sky magazine. Also, executive committee, appreciate for news coverage of Parssky website.

Other News: For the first year of IOTA/ME activities, selective persons of this year had been selected. Because of equality of two persons in votes, and according to opinion of Mr. David Dunham, the principal of IOTA, two persons had been selected as a selective person of IOTA/ME in 2011, Mr. Mohammad Reza Mirbagheri and Mr. Farzad Ashkar. This election had been done by Mr. Atila Pro (Iran), Dr. Mohammad Reza Norouzi (Iran), Mr. Arya Sabouri (Iran), Mr. E. Preston (United States), Mr. David Dunham (United States), Mr. Paul Maley (United States), Mr. John Talbot (Australia), and Dr. Eberhard Riedel (Germany).