News
Photo Galleries are Online
- Sunday, August 19, 2018
- Monday, August 20, 2018
- Tuesday, August 21, 2018
- Wednesday,August 22, 2018
- Thursday, August 23, 2018
- Friday, August 24, 2018
- Monday, August 27, 2018
- Tuesday, August 28, 2018
- Wednesday, August 29, 2018
- Thursday, August 30, 2018
- Friday, August 31, 2018
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Programme Change
FM13: Session "Gravitational Waves and Transient Science"
Thursday, August 23 | 13:30 - 15:00 | Hall E1
moved to
Thursday, August 23 | 10:30 - 12:00 | Hall B
S343: Session "Resolved and unresolved AGB populations"
Thursday, August 23 | 13:30 - 15:00 | Hall E1
FM2: Session "Future X-ray missions"
Friday, August 31 | 13:30 - 15:00 | Hall F2
European Council – Ministerial Conference
August 30, 2018
As part of the Austrian presidency of the European council, a ministerial conference will take place on August 30 at the ACV. Due to the heightened security precautions in place on this day, participants, suppliers and employees will be unable to access the building via Aristides-de-Sousa-Mendes-Promenade or Bruno-Kreisky-Platz.
Instead, participants will be redirected directly through Hall X5, along Carl-Auböck-Promenade to the left of the underground station, via a signposted route. Security checks with X-ray baggage scanners will be in place in Hall X5. Please plan for additional time for passing through security. A bridge over the square will lead participants from Hall X5 to the main building and conference spaces. People with restricted mobility will be accompanied across the square.
The on-site parking facilities will not be available on this day and the preceding day. Taxis and coaches will not be able to drive up to Bruno-Kreisky-Platz.
Resolutions to be voted at the XXXth General Assembly
The IAU Resolution Committee has approved the texts of the five Resolutions that will be presented for voting at the XXXth General Assembly in Vienna. The resolutions are as follows:
- Resolution A1: addresses the 10 year IAU Strategic Plan for the years 2020–2030.
- Resolution B1: is on the Geocentric and International Terrestrial Reference Systems and Frames.
- Resolution B2: is on The Third Realisation of the International Celestial Reference Frame.
- Resolution B3: is on the preservation, digitisation and scientific exploration of historical astronomical data.
- Resolution B4: addresses a suggested renaming of the Hubble Law.
More information is provided here.
https://www.iau.org/administration/statutes_rules/
A number of amendments and additions to the Statutes, Bye-laws and Working Rules were approved by the Executive Committee during its 99th Meeting (Pune, May 2017) and will be presented for approval at the XXX General Assembly (Vienna, August 2018). The proposed changes, presented next to the existing text, can be found here.
Special Session: S2 and Changed Time for the Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony on Monday, August 20th, 2018 is postponed to 16:30 in Hall A on level 2.
On Monday, August 20th, 2018, a Special Session on S2 will take place from 15:30 - 16:15 in Hall A.
SPEAKERS:
- Andrea Ghez: "Testing General Relativity: A Measurement of the Gravitational Redshift of a Star Passing near the Galactic Center Black Hole"
- Frank Eisenhauer: "General relativistic effects in stellar orbits around the Galactic Center black hole"
S2 is a star near the radio source Sagittarius A*. Due to the small semi-major axis of only about 970 AU, of its orbit around Sagittarius A*, Its position is quickly changing and has been monitored since 1995 in order to gather evidence for the existence of a supermassive black hole in the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. By 2008, one complete orbit had already been observed.
In late May 2018, S2 reached its pericenter of only 120 AU or 17 light hours to the central black hole and travels almost at 2.5% of the speed of light.
Artist's impression of the star S2. Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S2_(star)
The Congress Dances
At the end of the Handover Ceremony on Thursday, August 30th, everyone is encouraged to dance waltz. This famous ball room dance is closely related to Austrian culture, especially the Viennese waltz, which is originally danced to the three beat music compositions of Johann Strauss. It originated in the 18th century and was considered scandalous in its day. Today, it is one of the most widely spread social dances and is even included in royal courts.
There will be 2 dance lessons during lunch breaks. The lessons are free of charge led by professional dance teachers:
- Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018 | 12:45 - 13:15 | Room L2
- Tuesday, August 28th, 2018 | 12:45 - 13:15 | Room L2
Entry of the debutants during the Vienna Opera Ball 2017. Credit: https://operafashion.blog
The Executive Committee of the IAU and Division Presidents visited Vienna on April 16.-20. for their 100th EC meeting and to meet with the LOC for a discussion of the upcoming XXX. General Assembly in August 20.-31.
The IAU President Silvia Torres-Peimbert with the Rector of the University of Vienna, Heinz Engl, and the former IAU President Norio Kaifu (on the left with his wife) at the welcome reception by the University.
EC, DPs, and LOC members at the welcome reception.
EC, DPs, and LOC members on their sight inspection of the conference venue Austria Center Vienna
EC, DPs, and LOC members at work, listening to the GA preparation.
