 Partly because 2009 was the fourth centenary of Galileo 's first recorded astronomical observations with the telescope , the United Nations scheduled it to be the International Year of Astronomy . A global scheme was laid out by the International Astronomical Union ( IAU ) , also endorsed by UNESCO — the UN body responsible for educational , scientific and cultural matters . The International Year of Astronomy 2009 was intended to be a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture , stimulating worldwide interest not only in astronomy but science in general , with a particular slant towards young people . 
