Public Outreach in Astronomy: The ESO Experience

Abstract

Public communication of astronomy can play an important role in the continued effort to enhance public awareness of science. To achieve success, however, it is necessary to define clear communication goals, to identify the target constituencies and select the appropriate means of communication, e.g. the World-Wide Web, the public mass media, etc. Each of them offer possibilities, albeit with a number of limitations. Using examples from the ESO outreach activities, we describe how various communication channels can be used in combination to obtain the desired results. These activities are not restricted to day-to-day communication, but include dedicated educational programmes with long-term effects.