About Focus Meeting 7
One Sky, One Earth
This Focus Meeting will explore how shared infrastructure and coordinated international projects are transforming the interface between astronomy, geodesy, and space science. Radio networks that probe active galactic nuclei and pulsars through VLBI also realise the celestial and terrestrial reference frames and deliver geodetic products essential for navigation, space missions, and Earth observation. Optical facilities similarly support multiple roles, from transient detection to planetary defence, illustrating how observatories now operate across scientific and strategic domains.
The forthcoming ICRF4, integrating Gaia optical positions with VLBI radio data, exemplifies growing convergence across wavelengths, techniques, and space- and ground-based systems. As ICRF4 is prepared for submission to the 33rd IAU General Assembly, and missions such as GENESIS and the SKA advance toward operation, this meeting will examine how cross-disciplinary coordination, shared standards, and global partnerships can enable multi-domain science and maximise the scientific, operational, and societal impact of common infrastructure.
The Focus Meeting runs over two days, 17 and 18 August 2027, in a hybrid format (onsite + virtual participation for registered GA attendees), 10:30–17:00 each day, with four sessions per day.
Key dates
Registration and abstract submission are handled centrally by the 33rd IAU General Assembly. The dates below follow the official IAU GA 2027 schedule.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Abstract submission & registration open | 20 July 2026 |
| Abstract submission deadline (talks & posters) | 15 January 2027 |
| IAU grant application deadline | 15 January 2027 |
| Abstract acceptance notification | 15 February 2027 |
| Early-bird registration deadline | 5 March 2027 |
| Regular registration deadline | 30 June 2027 |
| Focus Meeting 7 dates | 17–18 August 2027 |
| 33rd IAU General Assembly, Rome | 10–19 August 2027 |
Venue
The Focus Meeting will be held as part of the 33rd IAU General Assembly in Rome, Italy, on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 August 2027. More details.