* Astronomy

2009 is the Year of Astronomy, 400 years after the first observations with a telescope by famed astronomer Galileo. To mark the occasion, French engineers and scientists are converting a giant dam in the Provence region of southern France into what they say will be the biggest sundial in the world. The 200,000-euro attraction is expected to draw thousands of tourists who flock to the region to visit the nearby Verdon canyons.