The 42nd Congress of the Polish Astronomical Society is underway

The Polish Astronomical Society's Congress is underway. This year, it is being held at the University of Warsaw, whose Astronomical Observatory is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year.

The Polish Astronomical Society (PTA) conference provides a comprehensive overview of Polish and global space research. Exploration of the heliosphere, gravitational waves, black hole magnetospheres, unusual stellar collisions, and Poland's role in future astronomical projects are just a few examples of the topics discussed at the 42nd Congress of the Polish Astronomical Society.

The conference will run until Friday. This year, it is hosted by the University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory (UWO) , which is celebrating its 200th anniversary. Monday's session will be devoted to the observatory's history and its contribution to the development of astronomy.

"The observatory began operations with the establishment of the Royal University of Warsaw in 1816, when the chair of astronomy was entrusted to Franciszek Armiński. The building on Aleje Ujazdowskie was opened on August 18, 1825, and the first observations began shortly thereafter," recalled Prof. Marek Jacek Sarna, president of the Polish Astronomical Society.

The scientist pointed out that although the observatory is in the same location as it was years ago, the astronomers' research instruments are located far from the headquarters. Since the 1970s, the training center for students has been Ostrowik, where a 0.6-meter photometric telescope is located, while the main research instrument, the 1.3-meter OGLE telescope, is located at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.

"At the Congress, we will summarize the scientific achievements of our colleagues from the University of Warsaw Astronomy Center, as well as from institutions across the country. Many of them collaborate very closely with Warsaw astronomers," emphasized Prof. Sarna.

The anniversary celebrations include exhibitions (in the foyer of Kazimierzowski Palace and on the fence surrounding the University of Warsaw Botanical Garden along Ujazdowskie Avenue), and a ceremony honoring Professor Jerzy Madej, in whose honor a main-belt asteroid will be named Jerzymadej. An Alumni Reunion will also be held, bringing together over 140 people associated with the observatory.

On Monday, during the conference opening, the Polish Astronomical Society (PTA) presented its awards. The Bohdan Paczyński Medal, the PTA's highest distinction for outstanding scientific achievements, was awarded to Professors Marcin Kubiak, Michał Szymański, and Andrzej Udalski – scientists associated with the OGLE project and the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw. The Włodzimierz Zonn Award and Medal for popularizing knowledge about the Universe went to three other winners: Stefan Janta, Adam Michalec, and the Polaris Association – OPP. The PTA Young Award was given to Łukasz Tychoniec.

The conference program includes ten thematic sessions. Scientific topics will include the Sun and the heliosphere; planetary systems and small bodies; compact objects and multifaceted astronomy; gravitational wave and high-energy astrophysics; stars, stellar systems, and interstellar matter; cosmology and the large-scale structure of the Universe; galaxies and extragalactic astronomy; and instrumental programs. The program also includes a session on the history of the University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory and a session on science popularization and education (with free admission for teachers).

Over 200 people registered for the conference. A live stream of the opening ceremony and lectures on the history of the University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory is available on the PTA and OA UW YouTube channels.

The conference is organized by the Polish Astronomical Society and the University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory. Honorary patronage is provided by the Minister of Science and Higher Education and the Polish Space Agency.

The Polish Astronomical Society, an association of professional astronomers, has existed for over 100 years, having been founded in 1923. While it is a scientific society, it also popularizes astronomy, including publishing the journal "Urania – Postępy Astronomii," the online portal www.urania.edu.pl , and the television series "Astronarium."

Science in Poland

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