The International Conference in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Sciences – 2026

Between July 1 and 3, 2026, the Cluj-Napoca Astronomical Observatory of the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy hosted the 9th edition of the International Conference in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Sciences, organized as part of the Academic Days Cluj-Napoca 2026 series. For three days, researchers from Romania and abroad were reunited in a shared forum for scientific debate. The conference programme brought together topics representative of current astronomical research, ranging from the study of asteroids, artificial satellites and the orbital environment to astrophysics, cosmology, exoplanets and solar physics. The technological dimension was supported by research on artificial intelligence, astronomical image processing, and the development of new methods and software tools.

The Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy was represented by researchers and topics reflecting its current activities, including stellar and solar observations, studies of small bodies in the Solar System, and the development and operation of advanced infrastructure dedicated to monitoring near-Earth space. The conference also featured preliminary results from the international Exo4Edu project, strategies dedicated to astronomy education in Romania, and an assessment of the observational infrastructure and strategic development directions of the Astronomical Institute.

A distinct component of the conference programme was the dialogue between fundamental research, technology, education and the history of science. The posters and presentations covering these fields showed that both public education on exoplanets and the broader development of astronomical literacy cannot be viewed within the boundaries of a single discipline.

Now in its 9th edition, the Cluj-Napoca conference is further consolidating its character as an interdisciplinary scientific meeting, where researchers present their latest results, some of them for the first time before the specialist community, submit them to collegial discussion, and open new opportunities for collaboration. In this respect, Cluj-Napoca provided a particularly fitting setting for such a meeting. Here, the academic framework of the Romanian Academy, represented by the Astronomical Institute, naturally meets the dynamism of a strong university environment, shaped above all by the contribution of Babeș-Bolyai University. Through this close interaction between institutions and fields of research, the cooperation and contributions emerging from the conference lead to the publication of full scientific papers in a special issue of the Romanian Astronomical Journal. Thus, the three days of scientific dialogue offer a snapshot of the current state of astronomy, astrophysics and related scientific fields, while also serving as a starting point for future research and publications.

Published on: Jul 23, 2026