The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is delighted to unveil the official selection of Symposia and Focus Meetings for 2027. This ambitious program spans the globe, bringing together the IAU community to tackle the most profound mysteries of the universe- from the birth of planets to the evolution of the first galaxies.
Since the very first IAU Symposium in 1953, these gatherings have served as the heartbeat of international astronomical cooperation. The 2027 lineup continues this storied legacy of scientific excellence, featuring a diverse array of topics that reflect the cutting edge of modern research, technology, and community advocacy. From tracing the "Faint Universe" to analysing interstellar objects in the era of the Rubin Observatory, the 2027 program is designed to advance our discipline and inspire the next generation of explorers. These meetings represent more than just academic exchange, they are a testament to the IAU’s mission to safeguard and promote the science of astronomy through international unity.
"The selection process for 2027 was challenging as we received an impressive number of high-calibre proposals from across the global community. While the scientific merit of the submissions was outstanding, the limited number of available slots meant that some excellent proposals could not be accommodated this cycle. Our evaluators worked meticulously to ensure the final program reflects a robust balance of astronomical disciplines and an equitable geographic distribution. I am now incredibly excited to see these meetings unfold and look forward to the breakthrough discoveries and international collaborations that will surely emerge as these sessions come to life throughout 2027. I encourage all IAU Members to take advantage of this diverse schedule by attending the meetings most relevant to their research and, of course, joining us for the General Assembly in Rome."
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Laura Ferrarese
IAU Assistant General Secretary |
The centrepiece of the IAU 2027 calendar is the General Assembly (GA), taking place in Rome from 10–19 August. During this landmark event, the IAU will host six Symposia and twelve Focus Meetings. Precise dates for each meeting will be announced in June 2026.
2027 GA Symposia
- Computational Horizons in Astrophysics - Bridging Theory, Data, and Discovery
- CTAO Symposium
- Planet Formation in the ALMA, JWST and ELT Era
- Gauging the Ages of the Cosmos
- Zooming in and out: Resolved and Unresolved Young Stellar Populations
- The Faint Universe: Tracing Galaxy Evolution in the Low-Surface-Brightness Regime
2027 Focus Meetings
- One Sky, One Earth: Shared Infrastructure and Frontiers for Astronomy, Space Geodesy, and Space Science
- AI Frontiers for Astronomy: Foundation Models, Agents, and Probabilistic Inference
- Protecting the Night Sky: A Global Problem with Local Solutions
- AI in Astronomy Education and Outreach: Opportunities and Risks
- The Unseen Universe: Challenges in Our Diverse Astronomical Community
- Magnetic Connectivity across Solar-Stellar Dynamic Atmospheres
- Solar Variability Across Timescales: From Magnetism to Irradiance, Models, and Historical Records
- Interstellar Objects in the Time of the Rubin LSST
- New Insights into the Atmospheres of Stars, their Planets and Moons
- The high-definition (sub-)millimeter Universe: From Today's Science to New Frontiers in the 2040s
- Strong Gravitational Lensing in the Era of Euclid and Rubin
- Cosmology 100 Years After Lemaître’s Expanding Universe: Open Questions and New Frontiers
2027 Non-GA Symposia
Save the Dates: In addition to the events in Rome, the IAU will support three 2027 IAU Symposia held across the African, South American, and Asian continents.
- IAUS413: AGN Jets from Gamsberg to the Multi-Messenger Frontier, to be held in Windhoek, Namibia, on 18-22 January 2027
- IAUS414: High-z Galaxies and Black Holes: The JWST/ALMA/GRAVITY Frontier, to be held in Puerto Natales, Chile, on 1-5 March 2027
- IAUS421: Dusty Stellar Environments Shaped by Winds, Eruptions, and Explosions, to be held in Goa (Panaji), India, on 6-11 December 2027
More information on each IAU Meeting will be made available on the IAU Upcoming Meetings webpage in the coming weeks.