Aware of the possibility that astronomy in the Philippines will remain as lethargic as it has been for a hundred years if drastic changes are not made, various revitalizing activities were planned in 1997 and some have been implemented. These activities were divided into five categories and included the promotion of astronomy throughout the country and the attendance of some personnel of the Atmospheric, Geophysical and Space-Sciences Branch at various international meetings. Project proposals were also prepared and submitted to various local and foreign institutions in order to acquire astronomical equipment. The Philippines also applied for, and received, associate mebership of the International Astronomical Union.

The CCTF (formerly named CCDS) held its 14th meeting on 20-22 April 1999. Following the discussions, seven Recommendations were adopted and submitted to the Comité International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM). The list is the following:

1. 1. Recommendation S 1 (1999): Mise-en-pratique of the definition of the second.

2. 2. Recommendation S 2 (1999): On stating uncertainty in comparisons involving primary frequency standards.

3. 3. Recommendation S 3 (1999): On the comparison of primary frequency standards.

4. 4. Recommendation S 4 (1999): On the use of multi-channel and multi-code GPS and GLONASS time receivers.

5. 5. Recommendation S 5 (1999): Time and frequency comparisons using GPS phase and code measurements.

6. 6. Recommendation S 6 (1999): Future global navigation satellite systems.

7. 7. Recommendation S 7 (1999): On Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer

Additionally discussed were the present form of UTC and mostly the interest of preserving the leap second. The advantages and disadvantages of several options regarding the future use of leap seconds were compared. The CCTF, however, felt that it did not have the authority to propose any action. Then CCTF decided to ask the BIPM Director to write to the relating international bodies including IAU so as to draw their attentions to this issue while recommending the usage of TAI in case a time scale without discontinuity is needed. Also it was decided, in order to make more expedite the process, to ask the opinions of the various Commissions of the Scientific Unions.

From my experience in Morocco, I discuss the difficulties one can face while trying to set up projects in a country where astronomy is a forgotten science: everything has to be built from scratch and, at the same time, one is required to keep up the pace at the international level. But, on the other side, it is quite a relief to see the strong demand from students and the public. In these circumstances even professional astronomy cannot survive without feedback from the public and long-term investment in education at all levels.

Division II consists of Commissions 10 (Solar Activity), 12 (Solar Radiation and Structure), and 49 (Interplanetary Plasma and Heliosphere). More detailed information on IAU activities in each of these three areas can be found in the individual reports of the respective Commissions.

The Division II OC briefly considered changes to the structure of our Division in response to opportunities offered by the Executive Committee during this triennium. However, we believe that the present structure works well and change is not warranted at this time.

Encouraging IAU-ISYA schools were held in Argentina (1974) and Brazil (1977 and 1995). Contacts with IAU Commission 46 were soon established and the author became the responsible person for setting up a supporting framework for astronomy in Paraguay. A proposal for an IAU-VLP program was made and the program began in 1988, running until 1994. The IAU Traveling Telescope and another telescope were borrowed for hands-on astronomy. Three students went to the Brazil ISYA in 1995 and two others began to work as astronomers abroad. Others became high-school and university instructors. A small library was opened, thanks to donations from IAU members. The need to find jobs for these young astronomers led to the further development of an Astronomy Center around the National Astronomical Observatroy.

The Sun’s activity has been evolving in the ascending phase of Solar Cycle 23 since 1996. Similarly, the research on solar activity is also in the ascending phase of a new active period. Numerous new results have been obtained from a large amount of space and ground observations covering a wide spectral range. In particular, observations with YOHKOH, SOHO, and TRACE have revealed a multitude of phenomena and processes in the solar atmosphere which provide us a new picture of the Sun.

The Master’s Program in Astronomy and Astrophysics for Central America arises as part of the project of the National Autonomous University of Honduras to contribute to the establishment of “Astronomy and Astrophysics” as an academic field within the region (Pineda de Carias 1993). In 1997, the same year that the Central American Suyapa Astronomical Observatory (CASAO) was officially inaugurated (within the frame of the VII UN/ESA Workshop on Basic Space Science), a degree course in astronomy and astrophysics at graduate level was approved. In 1998 the program was formally opened for Central American graduate students in physics, mathematics or engineering. In the year 2000, the first group of students is expected to finish their courses. In this document we present the main features of the Master’s Program: the syllabus, resources, organization. A discussion of the results achieved and of future tendencies is also included, together with some recommendations about how the international community may contribute to the enhancement of this type of effort, and on how this model may be useful for developing countries.

The focus of Commission 12 is on the solar interior, on global phenomena of the quiet Sun, and on the Sun’s radiative outputs, both spectral and total. These are the topics treated below in our discussion of Scientific Highlights. The many topics having to do with solar activity at photospheric to coronal levels, are dealt with in the report by Commission 10, while the report of Commission 49 describes research on the solar wind and interplanetary medium.

In China, more than twenty universities have astronomy education and research work. In four key universities, a complete series of educational programs of undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral levels has been formed. After four-year study at the undergraduate stage, students can be enrolled in master degree specialties. Three years later, some of them begin their three-year Ph.D. education. Only a few students enter into post-doctoral programs. Master’s and doctoral education systems are also established in the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In this paper, we give a description of the astronomy education of universities in China. After introducing the overall situation, we describe teaching materials, graduate-degree courses and facilities. We also discuss some problems and prospects for the new century.

In the last decade the triennial reports from Commission 49 have covered various topics like (nonlinear) plasma processes, magnetohydrodynamic phenomena and flows in the heliosphere, solar wind composition, transient events in, and latitudinal dependencies of, the heliosphere, interstellar gas flow through the interface region, kinetic versus magnetohydrodynamic theory in heliospheric plasmas and charged dust in space plasmas. Continuing the tradition of summarizing specific aspects to give astronomers outside our own specialty a flavour of our field, we now address recent advances in understanding coronal mass ejections in interplanetary space and the inner heliospheric solar wind under quiet and perturbed conditions. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the eminent contributors for their valiant efforts in writing these succinct but clear reports and guiding us through the recent literature.

Division VI gathers astronomers studying the diffuse matter in space between the stars, ranging from primordial intergalactic clouds via dust and neutral and ionised gas in galaxies to the densest molecular clouds and the processes by which stars are formed.

Amateur astronomers, and students, can contribute to astronomical research by measuring the brightness of variable stars. Hands-On Astrophysics (HOA) is a project which uses the unique methods and the International Database of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) to develop and integrate a wide range of science, mathematical and computer skills, through the measurement and analysis of variable stars. It is very flexible and can be used at many levels, in many contexts — for classroom use from high school to university level, or for individual projects. In this paper we describe HOA, and how it can be used to promote international astronomy education and development, through research-based science education.

Because the division consists of many very active commissions, most activities are included in the reports of the individual commissions. This report highlights a small subset of the major achievements that are covered in detail in the reports by the commissions. Some administrative activities of the division and reports of the divisional working groups and committees are also included as subsequent sections of this divisional report.

The present report of Commission 15 has been, as usual, prepared primarily by the chairpersons of the two working groups. E. Tedesco wrote the section about Asteroids and Meteorites, with the assistance of A. Cellino, G. Consolmagno and C.-I. Lagerkvist. W. F. Huebner prepared the section about Comets, with the assistance of J. Benkhoff, H. Boehnhardt, J. Brandt, M. T. Capria, A. Cochran, G. Cremonese, M. Duncan, W. Huntress, H. Levison, and G. P. Tozzi. Moreover, the whole document has been assembled by K. Muinonen, who did the final editing, to merge the two reports and fit the document into the allotted space. Material taken from both major areas regarding the relationship between comets and asteroids has been combined into a single section.