Institute of Astronomy

Meetings

The Institute of Astronomy plans to host one large summer conference each year. Below is a list of upcoming and previous meetings at the IoA.

Previous Meetings

TDE17: Piercing the sphere of influence

11 September 2017 - 15 September 2017

Scientific Rationale

Kavli ExoFrontiers 2017 Symposium

10 July 2017 - 12 July 2017

Exoplanetary science is on the verge of an unprecedented revolution. With at least four space missions and numerous large ground-based facilities scheduled to become operational in the next decade, the new era promises unprecedented observations of exoplanets - both in their detection as well as in detailed characterization of their atmospheres, interiors, and formation conditions. Concomitant major developments are also expected in all aspects of exoplanetary theory and data interpretation.

The disc migration issue: from protoplanets to supermassive black holes

22 May 2017 - 24 May 2017

Conference rationale

This workshop is motivated by the broad similarities surrounding the theory of disc mediated migration on scales ranging from protoplanetary discs to galactic nuclei. Migration theory thus underpins our understanding of some of the most topical problems in contemporary astrophysics, i.e. the establishment of planetary system `architecture' and the processes driving the merging of black holes.

Dark Energy Survey December collaboration meeting Cambridge 2016

12 December 2016 - 16 December 2016

Welcome to the DES December 2016 collaboration meeting at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge. The meeting will take place from the 12th to the 16th of December 2016.

Meeting Webpage: http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/meetings/2016/des.cambridge.2016

Location: Madingley Rise on Google Maps: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2145409,0.0927952,15z

LOC:

Galaxy clusters: physics laboratories and cosmological probes

5 December 2016 - 9 December 2016

Conference Rationale
Galaxy clusters are unique astrophysical laboratories in which the powerful interaction of supermassive black holes with the surrounding intracluster medium, the complex effects of the cluster environment on galaxies, as well as a wide range of non-thermal processes like magnetic field amplification and cosmic ray acceleration can be studied. In addition, clusters form from the largest matter overdensities in the Universe that collapse under their own gravity. Due to their formation from these highest density peaks, clusters provide a large leverage to probe cosmological models. However, to make full use of this potential, the internal structure of clusters and how it affects observational signatures needs to be understood. This meeting will bring together both international experts on this subject and early career researchers to catalyse progress on puzzles like the discrepant cosmology results from galaxy clusters and the primary cosmic microwave background and to help interpretation of a wealth of upcoming, multiwavelength observational programmes, such as eROSITA, Athena, JWST, DESI, Euclid and SPTPol and Advanced ACT.