Upcoming ESO or ESO-related workshops
Understanding how giant and rocky planets form and evolve, their internal structure and that of their atmosphere, represents one of the major challenges of modern astronomy, which is directly linked to the ultimate search for life by 2040. At the Horizon 2028-2030, the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will shine its first light on the sky. The high angular resolution and the great collecting capacity associated with the extreme sensitivity of the instruments will allow unprecedented observations of the regions of planetary formation and exoplanetary systems. In this perspective, the ESO community has developed a key expertise on the study of the initial conditions of planetary formation, the search for exoplanets, the atmospheric characterisation of giant and rocky exoplanets, and the search for biomarkers. This community includes various international laboratories and scientists who are also heavily involved at a technical and scientific level in the construction, scientific preparation and operation of the ELT instruments, and who have the opportunity to play a key role in ensuring a global return and shared success in the exploitation of the ELT.
The fifth edition of the "Why Galaxies Care About AGB Stars" conference series will bring together researchers working on Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, stellar populations, and galaxy evolution to foster collaboration and advance our understanding of the role of AGB stars in the Universe. This workshop will be a unique opportunity to discuss the latest observational and theoretical developments, featuring among others recent results from high-resolution imaging, spectroscopic studies, and advanced simulations. Topics will range from AGB stellar physics and dust formation to their impact on unresolved stellar populations and galaxy evolution. In addition, we will brainstorm the role and potential breakthroughs of AGB star research in the E-ELT and beyond era, ensuring that future observational and theoretical efforts align with the next generation of astronomical facilities.
Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are among the most dynamic and powerful sources in the universe, powered by supermassive black holes (SMBHs) through mass accretion. The accretion rate influences many AGN properties, with high accretion rates playing a key role in growing black holes and launching outflows that may shape the host galaxy's growth. Highly accreting AGN, particularly at low redshift, offer a benchmark to understand the rapid growth of the first SMBHs in the early Universe, which remains a mystery to be solved. Significant theoretical and observational advancements have been made in understanding fast-accreting systems, thanks to long-running observatories like VLT, ALMA, JVLA, Chandra, XMM, HST, and NuSTAR, as well as the recently launched JWST, Euclid, and IXPE. With the first light of the ELT on the horizon and the recent results from JWST on the growth of SMBH at high redshift, now is the ideal time to convene and share insights on highly accreting SMBHs. The workshop will gather astronomers to summarize the field’s current status, bridging the accretion history from the early to the local Universe, and explore the mechanisms driving their growth and impact on the Universe.
ESO aims to maintain the VLT and VLTI at the science forefront of astrophysical research in the ELT era. The development of the facilities follows planning that is discussed with the ESO governing bodies to derive the best synergies amongst the facilities. As part of this process, ESO is organising a conference in Garching near Munich (Germany) in January 2026. The meeting will review science topics, emerging technologies and expanding parameter spaces relevant for the VLT/I in the next decade and beyond. The goal of the meeting is to reach a broad community by covering topics and through contributed talks across scientific topics, new technologies, facilities landscapes, operational opportunities. ESO will issue a call for white papers for new projects/instruments for VLT/I during the conference with a deadline a year later, in January 2027, marking the start of the assessment phase.
Given the success of its first edition, ESO is delighted to announce the second edition of its Summer School on Writing and Communicating your Science to be held in Garching, from 20-24 July 2026. The school will cover important topics such as how to write compelling papers and proposals and how to give convincing talks. Dedicated sessions will further guide you through the process of preparing successful proposals, understand the publication landscape and the refereeing process, write professional job applications, and be prepared for a successful career. The school comprises many hands-on and fun activities to make it an unforgettable experience.
