International Astronomy Olympiad
The International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO) is an annual astronomy educational event for 14-18 year olds from different countries, including an intellectual competition. In 2017, a boy from Bangladesh named Abdullah Al Junayed, aged 14 years, received Diploma I at the 22nd International Astronomy Olympiad. Although he was a remote contestant with a guest recording, he excelled in the competition. International Astronomy Olympiad is one of the international school children's olympiad . One of the main tasks of the IAO is to attract talented young people around the globe to solve the problems of astronomy and natural sciences.
The Olympiad is held annually during the first two months of astronomical autumn at an observatory, scientific research centre (city) or institute of one of the participating countries. The Olympiad is held in 3 rounds: theoretical, observational and practical.
The Olympiad is designed for schoolchildren of adolescence, when interest in astronomy is most actively developing. Then preparation for participation still represents useful and targeted training, without becoming an end in itself and a kind of training. This is the fundamental idea of the International Astronomy Olympiad.
