 |
 |
 |
| Vatican Observatory | The OTS Foundation | Steward Observatory |
Take first the pure and undimmed lustre of the sky and all that it enshrines; the stars that roam across its surface, the moon and the surpassing splendour of the sunlight. If all these sights were now displayed to mortal view for the first time by a swift unforeseen revelation, what miracle could be recounted greater than this? What would men before the revelation have been less prone to conceive as possible? Nothing, surely.
Lucretius (c. 99-55 BC), On the Nature of the Universe, Bk. II.
Perhaps we have come to take the sun and the moon and the stars for granted. The participants in INSAP II will try to undo that, as well as to look for the powerful and unique effects that astronomical phenomena have had on human thought and culture through the ages. Although the meeting will have emphases in the general areas of art, history and politics, literature, and myth and religion, presentations are invited in a broad range of studies concerning human reactions to astronomical phenomena. Also, there will be several excursions and visits to sites of special interest on the islands of the Maltese Archipelago. Special rates for lodging and meals will be available in the Conference hotel (when it has been selected).
| A sherd from the Hagar Qim Temple, decorated with a solar wheel. | Fragment of a stone slab decorated with star figures and a crescent moon. |
 |
 |
| The harbor at Mgarr, Gozo | The famous natural bridge on Gozo |
 |
 |
The conference will be limited to about 120 attendees. Although most of
the attendees will be
expected to present their original research in the area of the
conference, some can come as designated observers and will participate
fully in the meeting and the discussions. The registration costs for
observers will be the same as for presenters as everyone is expected to
participate in the discussions, and other ancillary events.
All those interested are invited to apply. As stated elsewhere on this
Page, invitations to attend will be issued on the basis of programmatic
considerations. Therefore, please provide the selection-and-invitation
committee (the conference's Scientific Organizing Committee) with an
abstract of one's intended presentation which is as descriptive of that
presentation as might be possible right now.
Presentations will be either as talks or posters. NOTE: posters are not
"second-class" presentations, but have proven at past conferences to be
a particularly effective way to present results and to interact with
other attendees. Time will be set aside for "poster sessions" with no
competing talks or other events.
Selected papers from the conference will be published, very likely in
book form. To expedite the process, presenters (both talks and posters)
who wish to have their papers considered for inclusion in the
publication should bring a first version of their presentation material
to the conference, both in hard copy and in electronic form. These
papers will be reviewed by an Editorial Committee for inclusion in the
subsequent publication.
The following scholars have agreed to present their work at INSAP II:
Although the program is now closed to applications for oral
presentations, it is still possible to make application for a
poster/display presentation or as an "observer." Please refer to the
application link, below.
Full information on Attending the Conference, Conference Fees, and
other Useful Information is found below, following some descriptive
information concerning Malta.
Imagine watching the sun rise against, possibly, mankind's earliest existing calendar in stone -- inside a
megalithic temple built before the birth of recorded history; of seeing carvings that were
ancient by the time the pyramids were being built, of touching stones that were sacred to a
lost civilization. It can be an astonishing and memorable experience.
The ruins of the Ggantija Temple on the island of Gozo
And the temples are just the beginning. The island of Malta has been called
the largest open-air museum in the world. Seven millenia of human history are
marked by Phoenician boats, Roman ruins, Christian catacombs, Arabic street
plans, medieval walled cities, 16th century bastions of the legendary Knights of Malta,
and 20th century war rooms. There is plenty to see.
Its central location to all of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the continents of Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East have always made Malta desirable and accessible for trade and cultural exchange. So many ethnic points of view have colored its multi-colored cape of history that even the unique Maltese language spoken by natives is a blend of Semitic and Latin tongues. English is the predominant language spoken today in the world of commerce and academia. The Maltese people are well known the world over to be cosmopolitan, tolerant, hospitable and beautiful, and they enjoy a special "catbird seat" view of the world which refreshes any point of view. Even the smallest school child speaks at least two languages and usually more. Casual conversation with the locals can range from details of a particular historical battle to Maltese myths and legend to a discussion of local folk herbal remedies.
The Maltese archipelago (comprised of the islands of Malta, Gozo, Comino, and tiny Filfla) lies in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 58 miles (93 km) south of Sicily and 163 miles (262 km) north of North Africa. The total area of the islands is 196 square miles (508 square km). The longest distance in Malta, the main island, is about 17 miles (27 km), and at its widest point it measures 9 miles (about 14 km). There are neither mountains nor rivers, and very few springs; the fresh water supply is provided by de-salinization plants around the coast-line. The island is characterized by low lying hills with terraced fields on their slopes. Malta's coastline has many natural harbors, bays, creeks, sandy beaches, and rocky coves. Malta's population is 370,000 souls who are primarily Roman Catholic. Driving is on the left. The national languages are English and Maltese.
Malta averages more daily hours of bright sunshine than any other place in the Mediterranean. Moderate temperatures can be expected for January with an occasional shower possible. Average temperatures range from low 50's F. (low 10's C.) at night to daytime highs in the mid-60's F. (mid-20's C.)
Air Malta and other international airlines such as Swissair, Lufthansa and Alitalia link Malta with major cities in Europe and around the Mediterranean. There are daily connections to London (both Heathrow and Gatwick) as well as frequent direct flights to Milan, Rome, Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Tunis, Cairo, Tel-Aviv and Dubai. Average flying times are: London - 3 hours, Brussels - 2 hours, Frankfurt - 2 hours, Rome - 1 hour. To contact Air Malta in the USA, call: 1-800-75MALTA
The "Shipwreck" Church in Valletta
Conference participation will be by invitation only after completion of the reviews of
individual applications (go to INSAP II application for a copy
of the INSAP II application form). As has been stated above, there will be at most
about 120 attendees, including a broad range of scholars and students. Most of those attending
will be expected to present original studies and research results, but some will be admitted
as "observers" who are expected to participate otherwise fully in the meeting.
All applications should be submitted either by E-mail or by regular postal service to Prof.
Raymond E. White whose E-mail address appears in a number of places through this website;
his postal address is: Steward Observatory, 933 N. Cherry Ave., The University of Arizona,
TUCSON, AZ 85721-0065, USA.
The deadline date for all applications is 31 July 1998, be it the postmark date on a
mailed packet or an email transmission.
Please do not send any checks or money orders for registration costs until
AFTER all applications have been reviewed and invitations to attend have been issued.
This will happen approximately 30 September 1998 (N.B.: this has indeed happened).
However, in order for them to be confirmed, the arrangements organized under the "options
package" (see below) must be paid-in-full by 1 November 1998.
There will be a variety of events to which participation will be optional as they involve
extra costs. The optional events currently in the schedule are: full days of site visits
on Malta and on Gozo, several lunches, and a gala banquet. The total cost for the package
(please note: it is a package) of optional events is US$200. To take part in
the optional features, sign-up for them must be made during the conference pre-registration
phase (from when conference invitations have been issued until 30 November 1998) and must be paid
in full at that time. There will be no opportunity to sign-up for the optional items (hence
no ability to take advantage of the full-feature program fee -- see below) after 1 November
1998 or after arriving at the conference.
The basic registration fee for the conference is US$175 during the
pre-registration phase, and US$200 after 1 November 1998 through
14 January 1999.
The conference participants will be housed in one of the large hotels on Malta, for which
our room rate (for one person in a double-occupancy room) will be US$400 (European
plan: breakfast included) for the duration of the conference. The fees have been summarized
in the following table.
| Item | Cost (US$) |
| Basic Registration (see Note #1, below): | |
| ... pre-registration (through 30 Nov '98) | $175 |
| ... late registration (1 Nov '98-14 Jan '99) | $200 |
| Hotel (per person, double occupancy; details: Note #3) | $400 |
| Options package (see Note #2, below) | $200 |
| Full-feature program fee (see Note #3, below) | $775 |
Go to the INSAP homepage
Go to the First INSAP Conference Webpage
Go to the application form for the Second INSAP Conference
Caveat: The "SUBMIT" mechanism used to transmit
the application form may not be capable universally with the variety of E-mail servers in use
presently. Therefore, please "SAVE" your completed form in ASCII format before
submitting an application. If you receive no acknowledgement-of-receipt of your application
within 48 hours of its transmission, then send it via normal E-mail to R.E. White (see below for his E-mail address).
Dr. George V. Coyne, S.J. gcoyne@as.arizona.edu
Ms. Linda Eneix otsf@aol.com
Dr. Rolf M. Sinclair rsinclai@nsf.gov
Prof. Frank Ventura fven1@educ.um.edu.mt
Prof. Raymond E. White
Mr. Leslie Agius intoff@maltanet.net
Ms. Linda Eneix otsf@aol.com
Prof. Frank Ventura fven1@educ.um.edu.mt
This page last up-dated on: 25 March 2007.