South Africa Hosts Africa’s First IAU General Assembly
The International Astronomical Union is an international non-governmental organisation mandated to promote, safeguard and advance all aspects of astronomy. For the first time in over 100 years of the IAU’s existence, the IAU General Assembly, which happens every three years, finally happened on the African continent. The event took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 6th August to 15th August 2024. The event brought over 2,000 physical attendees from over 100 countries, a milestone for Africa. Furthermore, the event presented an opportunity for the global astronomy community to explore important topics in astronomy. Additionally, it allowed them to evaluate the latest advancements in various specialized fields.
The National Organising Committee (NOC) chair, Kevin Govender, envisioned an achievement of Vision 2024. He, along with his team, focused on three pillars: Accessibility, Impact, and Sustainability. These pillars were meant to define future IAU meetings. The goal was to make it the first GA to adopt an open-access format. Evidently, this vision lived up to its goal. The NOC included Vanessa McBride from the International Science Council and Charles Takalani from the Office of Astronomy for Development. They served as vice chairs, assisted by several other experts and professionals. Each expert was in charge of various dockets.
The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) of South Africa and the National Research Foundation supported the event. Similarly, the African Astronomical Society and other sponsors, including the Simon’s Foundation and the Square Kilometre Array Organisation (SKAO), provided additional support. The general assembly theme was ‘It’s Time for Africa!’
Programme and Activities
Several focus meetings and training workshops held on the 4th and 5th of August preceded the event. The first day began with a memorable performance by the iThemba Youth Choir at the CTICC. Focus meetings, poster sessions, and presentations followed this. Topics covered at the symposia included Gravitational Wave Astrophysics, A Multi-Point view of the Sun: Advances in Solar Observations and Space Weather Understanding, and the first chapters of our cosmic history with the James Webb Space Telescope.
Following this, focus meetings on various topics run concurrently. These included “Harnessing Ground-Based Optical Telescopes: An Opportunity for Emerging Astronomy in Africa” and “A Coherent View of Atomic and Molecular Gas from Infrared to Radio Wavelengths.” Additionally, focus meetings on “Follow-up Observations of Small Bodies in the Solar System in the Era of Large Discovery Surveys.” were covered. In addition, working group meetings involved professional-amateur relations in astronomy, while the IAU Office’s institutional meeting focused on the Office of Astronomy for Outreach (OAO).
The National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs) from several countries highlighted the progress of their various outreach activities. In addition, discussions incorporated their funding schemes and how to effectively bridge national and cultural barriers for successful outreach programmes. Some NOCs highlighted their cultural astronomy knowledge by sharing how their ancestors used astronomical objects. These included the Moon, the Pleiades cluster, and the planet Venus for ceremonies and rites of passage. Mayra Lebron, the NOC from Puerto Rico, highlighted efforts from the Central American region to document these findings. Ultimately, these efforts will be compiled into a book scheduled for publication.
South Africa’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, graced the opening ceremony later in the day. He emphasised Africa’s rich history in astronomy and its ongoing influence. Professor Nzimande particularly highlighted South Africa’s significant contributions to the global astronomy community, both in science and society. Lastly, the minister concluded by thanking the IAU for hosting the General Assembly in South Africa. He noted that this reflects the global commitment of the astronomy community to advancing astronomy in Africa.
Likewise, the IAU President, Professor Debra Emelgreen, also addressed the gathering. “We celebrate the rich history of astronomy in Africa as we present our research, initiate new collaborations, enjoy networking, share astronomy with the public, and explore the local beauty. August is designated as Africa Astronomy Month, an appropriate cap to the Vision 2024 efforts that have united Africans in their preparations to share astronomy with the world,” said Elmegreen.
Day Two Highlights – 7th August
The second day began with invited speakers’ plenary talks on Gravitational Wave Astrophysics. These included Sylvia Biscoveanu, a NASA Einstein Fellow at Northwestern University’s CIERA group, Kenta Hotokezaka from the University of Tokyo, and Ryan Shannon from the Swinburne Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing. Furthermore, poster and symposium sessions on the topics from day one followed. The programme introduced new sessions on the IAU Offices of the Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS) and the Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE).
In addition, the newly established CPS office led sessions to educate participants on the impacts of satellite constellations across all astronomy wavelengths. This included a focus on optical and radio astronomy. Additionally, the sessions also covered ongoing mitigation measures involving stakeholders such as policymakers and satellite service providers. Some presentations included the impact of satellite constellations on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey on Space and Time (LSST). Professor Zeljko Ivezic discussed how streaks from LEO satellites caused by reflected sunlight can affect LSST science goals and data products.
In the afternoon, the organizers held a session on Outreach, Development, and Education (ODE) prize talks. Moreover, the awardees, who had received their honours during the opening ceremony, presented their work. Saran Poshyachinda from the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), Cenca Bridge from Central America, and Linda Strubbe and Bonaventure Okere from the Pan African School for Emerging Astronomers (PASEA) each received an ODE prize. The OAE session featured the development of astronomy curricula and its evaluation across Africa and the globe. The day concluded with a fascinating talk from Dr Sian Proctor. She was the mission pilot for the first all-civilian mission to space. In addition, Dr. Proctor also made history as the first African American woman to pilot a spacecraft. Furthermore, she shared her Space2Inspire story and her preparation and thoughts after the all-exciting mission to space.
Day Three Highlights – 8th August
Day three started with a plenary talk by Dr Sarah Gibson. She is a senior scientist from the High-Altitude Observatory (HAO) at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research. In her talk, she highlighted critical areas of solar physics, presenting recent advances and open questions associated with generating, storing and releasing magnetic energy and resulting space weather on Earth. Also, she explored how continuous observations from the sun’s poles and a global perspective on solar and heliospheric magnetic fields could transform Sun-Earth research.
Also, the programme introduced sessions from the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) and the Office for Young Astronomers (OYA). The presentation from the OYA director, Itziar Arextaga, highlighted the historical view, success stories and the empowering nature of the International School for Young Astronomers (ISYA) programme. In addition, the OAD session highlighted an overview of its three flagships and impact reports. In addition, an invited talk by the IAU president on ‘Astronomy for a Better World: Reflections on the OAD’ followed.
During the lunch session, the 2024 Gruber Cosmology prize winner, Marcia Reke, gave a talk on ‘The James Webb Space Telescope: 25 Years in the Making to Discover the Most Distant Galaxies.’ In the evening, an invited discourse by Dr Bernie Fanaroff from the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). This was followed by ‘An Evening with NASA’, which gave the audience a fascinating exposure to NASA scientists and their ongoing work. Speakers discussed opportunities for the international community. Similarly, they talked about the science of the James Webb Space Telescope. Lastly, speakers talked about exoplanets and many other projects in the pipeline.
Day Four Highlights – 9th August
On day four, the organisers introduced a new focus meetings and symposia lineup. The divisions included Fundamental Astronomy, Facilities, Technologies, and Data Science. Similarly, they also covered Education, Outreach, and Heritage. High Energy Phenomena and Fundamental Physics were discussed. Sun and Heliosphere, Planetary Systems, and Astrobiology were featured. Stars and Stellar Physics, Interstellar Matter, and Local Universe were included. Also, Galaxies and Cosmology were part of the division topics. Various speakers, professionals and students presented poster sessions and talks on the above topics.
The 9th of August marks Women’s Day in South Africa. Thus, the IAU celebrated with the Women in Astronomy Lunch and Mentorship session. This event was a platform to share women’s career challenges while underscoring the importance of advancing science and astronomy through diversity and inclusivity. Mirjana Povic and Pricilla Muheki from the African Network of Women in Astronomy (AfNWA) highlighted the organisation’s activities. Furthermore, they emphasised the importance of mentorship, a key pillar of AfNWA.
In addition, the evening session started with an invited discourse from Prof Joop Schaye from Leiden University. He presented on ‘Cosmological Hydrodynamical Simulations.’ Prof Gerry Gilmore gave a public astronomy talk on Our Dynamic Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is a band of stars across the sky that has fascinated people over the years. A social event on ‘Astronomers Got Talent’ concluded the night. Lastly, delegates and the public showcased their stellar skills, offering an opportunity to have fun and shine brighter than the stars of the South African sky.
Day Five Highlights – 12th August
After a weekend of exploring the Mother City, Monday morning saw an exciting opening. The IAU Offices hosted a plenary with Nobel Prize winner Prof Brian Schmidt. His talk highlighted how one can build an impactful career in astronomy and win a Nobel Prize. Furthermore, he also used his career as a case study for young astronomers to cultivate a healthy work-research-life balance. The division days from Friday continued with more presentations and poster sessions.
In the Education, Outreach and Heritage sessions, the Head of Astronomy at the Department of Science and Innovation in South Africa, Takalani Nemaungani, highlighted astronomy’s progress and socio-economic benefit to South Africa. They aim to develop South Africa into a hub of astronomy sciences and facilities. This is primarily through their Multiwavelength Astronomy Strategy 2015. Some benefits realised are scientific returns and outputs through publishing papers and astronomical discoveries. In addition, human capital and skills development have also been significant. In addition, they have realised technological returns through reviving the local manufacturing industry, creating jobs, and growing SMMEs
International partnerships attracted foreign direct investment and science diplomacy. Notably, the MeerKAT radio telescope’s design, construction, and operation are prime examples. A total of ZAR 8 billion (USD 449.82 million) was invested, leading to a ZAR 19.4 billion (USD 1.09 billion) increase in production. GDP increased by ZAR 8.8 billion (USD 494.8 million). Furthermore, the project created over 23,000 full-time equivalent jobs. As a result, more than 90,000 people benefited from the project in various ways.
Day Six Highlights – 13th August
Day 6 started with a plenary session on the symposia: Neutral hydrogen in and around galaxies in the SKA era. Dr Kristine Spekkens from Queen’s University in Canada, Dr Kyle Oman from the Institute of Computational Cosmology at Durham University and Associate Prof Mitchell Cluver from the Swinburne University of Technology gave their presentations on their specific HI science. Symposia sessions introduced on day six included Planetary Science and Exoplanets in the Era of the James Webb Space Telescope and All-Inclusive AGN. Focus meetings included topics on Bridging the final stages of massive stars to supernovae and transients, Advances and Challenges in Understanding the Solar and Stellar Dynamos, Measures of luminous and dark matter in galaxies across time and Teaching capacity of remote observing facilities for the Universities and High Schools. Similarly, the Working group sessions included WG1- Global Coordination of Ground and Space Astrophysics and WG2- Junior Members.
The Teaching Capacity of Remote Observing Facilities for Schools highlighted the worldwide effort of various robotic telescope initiatives. These have served as educational tools for audiences globally. Dr Edward Gomez from Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) detailed their educational flagship project ‘Global Sky Partners.’ He further highlighted the project’s aim of addressing the critical question: How to run an efficient and sustainable educational programme in astronomy. The Global Sky Partners have used the 10 x 0.4 m LCO robotic telescopes to reach an audience of over 60,000 annually from over 40 countries. Additionally, the session also presented some African facilities. These include the 32-metre radio telescope in Ghana for astronomy training and the 4-element radio interferometer at North-West University as an educational tool.
The lunch session featured Kavli Prize winner David Charbonneau, who presented on The Terrestrial Worlds of Other Stars. The evening session featured an invited discourse by Prof Natalie Batalha from UC Santa Cruz. Her talk was titled ‘A Front Row Seat to Exoplanet Discovery with Performances by Kepler, TESS, and JWST.’ Prof George Ellis gave a public astronomy talk on ‘Nature of the Universe.’ He took the audience through the questions the human curiosity ponders about our existence in the universe. The night ended with a captivating evening dedicated to the rich tapestry of cultures and their historical relationship with the skies. This was a cultural astronomy event for the public. Different cultures from various countries showcased their long history and indigenous knowledge of how astronomy was woven into their cultures. They presented this through song, dance, and storytelling.
Day Seven – 14th August
A plenary session on Planetary Science and Exoplanets in the Era of the James Webb Space Telescope kicked off day seven. Two invited talks were given. Geronimo Villanueva from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center presented on ‘A new era in solar system astronomy with JWST’. Andrew Szentgyorgyi from the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, shared on ‘Searching for Evidence of Life Beyond the Solar System with the GMT-Consortium Large Earth Finder (G-CLEF) at the Dawn of the ELT/NWO Era.’ The Young Astronomers celebrated through a luncheon in the afternoon. Furthermore, this allowed early career scientists to network, share ideas and get career insights and mentorship from senior career researchers and astronomers. These discussions sparked new collaborations and ignited future discoveries!
Discussions were done on Multi-Wavelength Astrometry and The High-Energy Gamma-ray Universe. The Cosmic Savannah, a podcast dedicated to sharing the exciting things happening in astronomy research and technology in Africa, hosted a live show. The show hosted Nobel Prize winner Prof Brian Schmidt and Jim Buckee fellow Dr Nicole Thomas. She is from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, University of Western Australia. The event blended fun, education and inspiration, providing an excellent opportunity for the attendees to connect with the stars. Dr Tshiamiso Makwela, Dr Jacinta Delhaize, and Dr Daniel Cunnama hosted the live show.
Final Day – 15th August
The conference’s final day featured plenary talks in the morning, poster sessions, symposia talks and focus meetings on various topics. The UP Ovuwa Cultural Ensemble entertained delegates during the lunch session. In addition, they also performed during the closing ceremony of the IAU General Assembly. The closing ceremony featured talks from the IAU’s incoming and outgoing executive committees. President Debra Elmegreen had served with Piero Benvenuti as the Secretary-General alongside other officials. They handed over their responsibilities to the incoming executive team. The President, Willy Benz, and Secretary-General Dian Mary Worrall led the team. They were assisted by other officials, such as the Assistant Secretary-General and six vice presidents. Equally, the committee honoured former Secretary General Piero Benvenuti, who served in an interim capacity after completing his tenure, by naming two asteroids after him and his late son.
After an unforgettable ten days in Cape Town, the closing ceremony gave participants a new opportunity. This was to hand over the event to the next hosts and organizers of the 33rd IAU General Assembly. The event is to be held in Rome, Italy, from August 9 to 19, 2027. The Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) received this mandate. The South African Local Organizing Committee and the departing President of the IAU passed the flag to the Italian delegation led by INAF President Roberto Ragazzoni. Hence, the night culminated in a two-week memorable conference that lived up to and surpassed its expectations.
During the closing ceremony, the NOC Chair, Kevin Govender, highlighted the record-breaking nature of this IAU-GA. The event had the highest number of Africans represented in any astronomy conference. The open-access nature of the event allowed the public to livestream sessions during the conference, gathering more than 15,000 views. In addition, he thanked everyone from the exhibitors, sponsors and participants for making the event a huge success! In his closing remarks, he said, “In the words of Nelson Mandela, it always seems impossible until it is done.” We are all human, before we are astronomers and before we are scientists,” emphasising the human nature of us all.
Side Events
Not to mention, the IAU-GA also implemented a massive outreach programme for schools over the two weeks. This was to ensure that they inspired learners across Cape Town with this historic moment. Volunteers and delegates coordinated astronomy talks, activities, and visits that inspired the young generation and exposed them to astronomy. Similarly, this initiative impacted over 23,000 learners from 70 schools. Duduzile Kubheka, the Education and Outreach Committee co-chair, coordinated this effort.
In addition, the organizers also arranged technical tours of the various astronomical facilities in the area. These included the MeerKAT telescope and the SKAO site. They also included Hermanus, which hosts the South African National Space Agency, and the Sutherland site. In addition, the site hosts many optical telescopes, including the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT).
What does this mean for the African astronomy sector?
The world experienced the rich culture and scientific advancements of African astronomy. Perceptions were changed, and misconceptions about how the world sees Africa were challenged. This will lead to more collaborative efforts between African astronomers and international partners on various projects and research. Many African students have connected with leading global research centres. These will offer exchange programmes and more access to opportunities globally. Moreover, the impact of this event will also see significant investment in Africa for various astronomical facilities and research centres, a collaborative effort with international partners. The relevant stakeholders in charge of policy-making and financial support have sparked conversations for the advancement of astronomy in Africa. Similarly, this aligns with the vision of making Africa a global astronomy attraction.
“I want to believe this is not the last time this event is coming to Africa, and it will surely no longer take another 100 years,” said Takalani Nemaungani, the Chief Director for Astronomy at the Department of Science and Innovation in South Africa. Furthermore, the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) is working to develop astronomy in Africa and transform the African astronomy landscape for a better future. Thus, they will achieve this by rotating the AfAS scientific conferences to help African countries build