Conferences, Workshops etc.

Unlocking ALMA’s Potential with Focal Plane Arrays: A Community Workshop, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany, 2.–4. Sept. 2025

ALMA is exploring key upgrades to enhance its sensitivity, resolution, and imaging capabilities, focusing on transformative advancements that will unlock its full scientific potential. As part of an ongoing ESO ALMA development study aimed at advancing ALMA’s capabilities, the community workshop "Unlocking ALMA’s Potential with Focal Plane Arrays" will take place on September 2 - 4, 2025, at MPIfR, Bonn.

This event will explore the scientific drivers and technological innovations behind focal plane arrays (FPAs) - a breakthrough that could significantly expand ALMA’s field of view and mapping speed. This conference welcomes experts from all fields of astrophysics who are interested in shaping the scientific priorities for the next phase of ALMA, driven by the transformative capabilities enabled by the development of focal plane arrays (FPAs).

839. WE-Heraeus-Seminar: Charting the Cosmos: From Cosmic Stellar Nurseries to Evolved Stars using High Powered Telescopes, Germany, Wasem Kloster Engelthal, Aug. 18–22, 2025

Despite playing a central role as the building blocks of cosmic structures, the processes governing star formation and evolution remain among the least understood phenomena in the Universe. Key questions range from what mechanisms drive the transition from diffuse atomic to molecular clouds to form stars and how the evolution of stars shape their environment on both local and on global scales. The aim of the 839 WE-Heraeus-Seminar is to foster collaborative discussions and showcase groundbreaking research in this field.

Highlights will include new observations from high-powered telescopes, along with theoretical and computational results using state-of-the-art simulations. Furthermore, as we enter an era of highly sensitive instrumentation, bringing together communities representing the main pillars of modern astronomy will enable us to address the complexities of star-formation and stellar evolution more effectively.
This seminar will also honour the life and work of Prof. Dr. Karl M. Menten, our dear friend, esteemed mentor, and wonderful colleague, whose sudden and unexpected passing has left us heartbroken. However, his legacy endures. His contributions over the past forty years have been a driving force and a source of inspiration for countless researchers in the field of Astornomy and Astrophysics.

The program consists of the following six sessions, each featuring invited reviews, invited presentations, and numerous contributed talks and poster presentations:

► Cool Evolved Stars
► Galactic Surveys
► Star Formation
► Instrumentation Landscape
► Interstellar medium & Spectroscopy
► Galactic Centre

Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration Summer Meeting 2025, Germany, Harnack House, Berlin, 14-18 July 2025

The 2025 summer meeting of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration will be held at Harnack House, Conference Venue of the Max Planck Society in Berlin-Dahlem, Germany. This meeting will provide a forum to discuss EHT science results, technology updates and future plans.

18th BONN Neutron Star Wokshop, May 8-9, 2025, Bonn, Germany, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

The topic of this workshop is:
“Emission Physics and Evolution of Neutron Stars Across the Electromagnetic Spectrum”

The European Pulsar Timing Array spring meeting, 5th - 7th May 2025, Bonn, Germany, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie

The spring meeting of the EPTA, focussing on measuring the nanohertz gravitational wave background and individual sources.
Topics include observing strategies, mitigation of the interstellar medium, modelling of noise sources, GW detection techniques, and interpretation of the results.

24 March 2025: From Radio Variability to the Sharpest Images in AGN

March 24, 2025

This one-day meeting looked at some topics in radio astronomy, especially the work done since the 1990s to improve very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) and millimetre-wavelength astronomy. This research has provided new information about the behaviour of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), the detailed structure of AGN jets, and the environments around black holes. It has also improved our understanding of compact radio sources. The symposium was attended by Thomas Krichbaum's former students, collaborators and colleagues to celebrate his career. The event was an afternoon of reflection, where scientific presentations combined with personal remarks highlighted not only his professional achievements, but also his inspiring mentorship and friendly nature. The event celebrated both the personal and scientific qualities that are integral to Thomas' career. more

27-29 January 2025: M2FINDERS Workshop: a Generalised Polarisation CALibration pipeline (GPCAL)

Our institute hosted a workshop on VLBI polarization calibration, featuring the software GPCAL. The event was led by Dr. Jongho Park from Kyung Hee University, South Korea, and included a mix of lectures and hands-on sessions.
Over three days, participants gained in-depth knowledge of VLBI polarization calibration techniques using GPCAL. The workshop covered:

An introduction to GPCAL, including its role in polarization calibration.
Frequency- and time-dependent leakage calibration using GPCAL.
Extensive hands-on tutorials to apply the concepts in practice.

The final day concluded with a presentation of results, discussions, and feedback. This event provided attendees with valuable skills and insights into advanced polarization calibration techniques in VLBI. more

Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), Germany, Ringberg Castle, 19-22 January 2025

The passing of Prof. Karl Menten, the APEX Principal Investigator, who initiated APEX at the end of the 90s when he joined the Max Planck Society, fills us with great sadness. He always enjoyed the APEX Ringberg workshops to discuss the exciting science APEX is making possible. This workshop is an opportunity to remember him and will therefore be dedicated to him.
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The Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m submillimeter telescope has significantly contributed to a wide variety of astronomy science areas, ranging from the discoveries of new molecules to large-scale and deep imaging of the submillimeter sky.
Since 2012, every other year, the Ringberg APEX workshops bring together APEX users and other interested scientists working on a wide range of exciting results covering the Solar System to distance galaxies in the early universe. APEX2025 aims at presenting new science results and to looking into new science opportunities for the next few years.

Informal group picture, taken on September 3, 2024 (Aleksei Nikonov)

2-6 September 2024: 16th European VLBI Network Symposium and Users' Meeting

September 06, 2024

The European VLBI Network Symposium is the main forum for discussion of the latest Very Long Baseline Interferometry scientific results and technical and technological developments within the EVN member countries. The 16th EVN Symposium and Users meeting, hosted by the Max-Planck-Institut für Radiostronomie, took place in Bonn in September 2-6, 2024.

The covered topics included:

Active galactic nuclei and relativistic outflows
Starburst galaxies, extragalactic masers, and supernovae
Stellar evolution and stellar masers
Transient sources and pulsars
Astrometric, geodetic & space applications of VLBI
VLBI technology developments
Users feedback
Current and future VLBI facilities and international cooperation

Invited speakers:

Markus Ackermann (DESY, Zeuthen, Germany)
Bia Boccardi (MPIfR, Bonn, Germany)
Roger Deane (University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa)
Simon Garrington (Jodrell Bank Observatory, Manchester, United Kingdom)
Giancarlo Ghirlanda (Osservatorio di Brera, Milano, Italy)
Preeti Kharb (Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Pune, India)
Michela Mapelli (Universität Heidelberg, Germany)
Benito Marcote (Joint Institute for VLBI-ERIC, Dwingeloo, The Netherlands)
James Miller-Jones (Curtin University, Melbourne, Australia)
Suma Murthy (Joint Institute for VLBI-ERIC, Dwingeloo, The Netherlands)
Alexander Plavin (Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA, USA)
Eduardo Ros (MPIfR, Bonn, Germany)
Gabriele Surcis (Osservatorio di Cagliari, Italy)
Kiyoaki Wajima (KASI Daejeon, Korea & Shanghai Observatory, PR China)
Benjamin Winkel (MPIfR, Bonn, Germany)
Simona Vegetti (MPA, Garching, Germany)
Jun Yang (Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden)

Scientific Organising Committee:

Tao An (Shanghai Observatory, China)
Pikky Atri (ASTRON, Dwingeloo, Netherlands)
Paola Castangia (INAF Cagliari, Italy)
Talvikki Hovatta (Aalto University, Espoo, Finland)
Marcin Gawroński (University of Torun, Poland)
Michael Lindqvist (Onsala Space Observatory, Sweden)
Andrei Lobanov (MPIfR, Bonn, Germany; chair)
Sara Motta (INAF Milano, Italy)
Tom Muxlow (University of Manchester, UK)
Zsolt Paragi (JIV-ERIC, Dwingeloo, Netherlands)
Kazi Rygl (INAF Bologna, Italy)

Local Organising Committee:

Siân Adey
Vieri Bartolini
Petra Benke
Lena Debbrecht
Sergio Dzib-Quijano
JongSeo Kim
Galina Lipunova
Andrei P. Lobanov
Jan Röder
Eduardo Ros (chair)
Saurabh

17^th Neutron Star Workshop, May 16-17, 2024, Bonn, Germany, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to bring together observers and theoretisians to exchange and discuss new ideas at the forefront of neutron star research.

The theme of the XVII workshop is: “Advancing pulsar science: opportunities, challenges & mysteries".

Group picture of attendants to meeting: Alexei Nikonov, Cecilia Degli Agosti, Petra Benke, Kim Jongseo, Joana Höllmer, Luca Ricci, Arman Tursunov, Lena Debbrecht, Raoul Kinadeter (top), Jan Röder, Héctor Olivares, Ziri Younsi, and Saurabh

20-23 February 2024: M2FINDERS Magneto-Hydrodynamics Simulation Workshop

The M2FINDERS MHD Simulation Workshop was a comprehensive event designed to provide a good insight into the world of astrophysical fluid simulations. This workshop was part of the M2FINDERS activities (more specifically, the Theory and Interpretation of the Observing Programme work package) and aimed to introduce participants to the fundamental concepts and methodologies involved in numerical simulations of astrophysical fluids. The workshop was structured to maximise learning and hands-on experience. The mornings were devoted to informative lectures providing a theoretical foundation and overview of the subject matter. These lectures covered a wide range of topics, from the basic principles of astrophysical fluid dynamics to the latest developments in the field. In the afternoons, participants had the opportunity to apply what they had learned in practical sessions. These sessions involved working with state-of-the-art numerical codes, allowing participants to gain first-hand experience in running their own simulations. This hands-on approach not only reinforced the theoretical knowledge gained in the morning lectures, but also provided valuable skills that could be applied in future research.

We enjoyed the presence of the experts Héctor Olivares (Aveiro U. Portugal) and Ziri Younsi (U. College London) as guest speakers for the workshop.
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24-27 October 2023: M2FINDERS Workshop: Bayesian Imaging Algorithm resolve Workshop II

The M2FINDERS Bayesian Imaging Algorithm Workshop brought together experts and participants for an in-depth exploration of Bayesian imaging techniques in radio interferometry. Held from October 24-27, 2023, this event combined theoretical lectures and hands-on tutorials using the cutting-edge Bayesian imaging library, resolve.

Key topics included an introduction to Bayesian statistics, information field theory, and advanced imaging techniques for interferometric data using the resolve algorithm. The workshop featured insightful lectures from leading astrophysicists, including Torsten Ensslin, Philipp Frank, Jakob Roth, and Vishal Johnson (MPI for Astrophysics), alongside contributed talks on cutting-edge research.

Highlights:
Bayesian Imaging & Calibration: Learnings on applying Bayesian methods to interferometric data for precise imaging.
Contributed Talks:

Multi-Objective Optimization for Polarimetric Dynamic Reconstructions* (Alejandro Mus)
Radiative Processes in Black Hole Magnetospheres* (Arman Tursunov)
Component Separation & Multi-Frequency Modelling with Resolve* (Richard Fuchs)

This workshop equipped participants with valuable tools and knowledge to apply Bayesian algorithms in their research, with a focus on future developments in astrophysical imaging.

Group picture of the meeting at the MPI for Mathematicas in the Natural Sciences, on 27 September 2023. Picture taken by Thomas Endler at the MPI MIS.

27-28 September 2023: Second Workshop on German Science Opportunities for the ngVLA, MPI for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany

The Second Workshop on German Science Opportunities for the Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) brought together the German scientific community and international experts to discuss emerging research opportunities with the ngVLA, a project of the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). Held on 27-28 September 2023 at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences in Leipzig, this workshop followed the successful first meeting in Bonn in December 2022.

The event featured discussions on German interests in ngVLA science, with contributions from renowned international guests, including Tony Beasley (NRAO Director) and Eric Murphy (ngVLA Project Scientist), fostering valuable scientific exchange.

Highlights:

Scientific Exchange: Discussions on Germany's role in ngVLA research and opportunities for collaboration.
Special Event: On the afternoon of 28 September, participants attended a presentation on key components of the 18-metre ngVLA telescope prototype, organized by mtex antenna technology and NRAO. The event, under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, provided a rare chance to explore the technical advancements behind the ngVLA telescopes.

This workshop not only advanced the scientific conversation on ngVLA research but also offered insights into the cutting-edge technology shaping the future of radio astronomy. more

Conference picture, taken on September 21, 2023

21-22 September 2023: M2FINDERS and Beyond: Magnetic Fields around Black Holes

The "M2FINDERS and Beyond" workshop was a two-day event held at the historic Ringberg Castle in Kreuth, situated to the south of Munich, from 21 to 22 September 2023. This exclusive, invitation-only gathering brought together members of the M2FINDERS project, along with external collaborators and experts, with the objective of exploring the latest developments in Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) science, with a particular focus on magnetic fields near black holes.

The workshop presented the findings of the ERC-funded M2FINDERS project, which has developed innovative techniques for VLBI data analysis with the objective of mapping magnetic fields at scales smaller than 1000 gravitational radii from supermassive black holes. The discussions encompassed the physics and evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGN), along with prospective avenues for VLBI observations. more

16^th BONN workshop on the formation and evolution of neutron stars, April 19-20, 2023, Bonn, Germany, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

The special topic of this workshop:

The many faces of NSs: emission from gamma-rays to radio and gravitational waves

German Opportunities for the ngVLA, Bonn, Germany, Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Agenda:

10:00 - 10:15 Welcome / Goals of this meeting / Introductions; Speakers: Anton Zensus, Fabian Walter (MPIA)
10:15 - 10:35 ngVLA project update; Speaker: Tony Beasley (NRAO)
10:35 - 11:00 ngVLA key science; Speaker: Eric Murphy (NRAO)
11:00 - 11:15 ngVLA prototype; Speaker: Lutz Stenvers (mtex)
11:15 - 11:25 ngVLA Science Working Groups; Speaker: Fabian Walter (MPIA)
11:25 - 11:40 ngVLA Long Baseline Opportunities; Speaker: Anton Zensus
11:40 - 12:00 German Center for Astrophysics (DZA); Speaker: Michael Kramer
12:00 - 12:30 Discussion

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch ( Cafeteria )

13:30 - 14:00 Informal discussions

15^th BONN workshop on the formation and evolution of neutron stars, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany, August 29, 2022

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

The special topic of this workshop is: "Neutron stars and their local environments".

RadioNet Workshop on Future Trends in Radio Astronomy Instrumentation, Bonn, Germany, September 21-22, 2020

We are pleased to announce the RadioNet Technical Dissemination Workshop on new trends in Radio Astronomy instrumentation. These two days of coming together, presenting new ideas and discussing future trends will be held on September, 21st and 22nd 2020 at the Max-Planck-Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn (Germany).

This meeting is the last in a series of technical workshops combining several aspects of engineering and operational issues at radio observatories all over Europe and beyond. It provides the unique opportunity to cross border the different communities to see what ‘the others’ are doing and planning and enhance communication between engineers, scientists and operators.

3-6 May 2022: Polarization in VLBI: tools for advanced calibration and analysis (M2FINDERS training workshop)

This workshop, organised in the framework of the M2FINDERS project, addressed interferometric polarimetry combined with hands-on tutorials using the most recent software packages as PolSolve and EHTim as well as well the established programs AIPS and Difmap. Main lecturer was Prof. Iván Martí Vidal from the Universitat de València in Spain. more

14^th BONN workshop on the formation and evolution of neutron stars, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany, February 17, 2020

Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), Schloss Ringberg, Germany, February 02-05, 2020

The Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m submillimeter telescope has significantly contributed to a wide variety of astronomy science areas, ranging from the discoveries of new molecules to large-scale and deep imaging of the submillimeter sky.

Since 2012, every other year, the Ringberg APEX workshops bring together APEX users and other interested scientists working on a wide range of exciting results covering the Solar System to distant galaxies in the early Universe. APEX2020 aims at presenting new science results and to looking into new science opportunities for the next years.

In the last two years, APEX has been significantly improved by upgrades of the antenna itself as well as by the commissioning of new instruments, including new large cameras for wide-field continuum imaging and new heterodyne instruments highly complementary to ALMA.

While ALMA operation is in full swing, APEX is strengthening its role not only as a pathfinder for studying large source samples and probing larger spatial scales to prepare detailed high angular resolution ALMA follow ups, but also as a fast response instrument to complement new results from ALMA. Furthermore, APEX ensures southern hemisphere access for submillimeter projects complementing archival Herschel research as well as new SOFIA science.

The conference venue, Ringberg Castle, provides a unique setting for in depth discussions on current and future science with APEX. In particular, sessions on new scientific results, on synergies with other observatories and on the exploitation of the upcoming new APEX capabilities are envisioned.

The castle can accommodate about 60 to 70 participants. Registration will open Oct 1st at which point scientific contributions can be proposed.

Scintillometry 2019, Bonn, Germany, November 4-8, 2019

In this workshop, we will discuss the many recent developments in the field, including mapping scattering screens using VLBI, using scintillation to spatially resolve pulsar emission and solve pulsar orbits, studies of plasma lensing in plasma-dense environments, physical models of scintillation, and ways to remove scintillation/scattering from a pulsar's intrinsic emission.

PAF Workshop 2019, Bonn, Germany, September 16-18, 2019

The scope of the workshop is to exchange ideas and solutions among the developers of radio-astronomical instrumentation in the frequency range below 100GHz, specially under the aspect of phased array feed systems.

After single pixel systems and discrete array receivers have been developed to sensitivities close to the physical limits, phased array feed systems are now the next logical step to further increase the science output of the observing facilities. These receiving systems with up to several hundred receiving channels introduce new technological challenges in all areas.

Bonn-Dwingeloo Neighbourhood VLBI Meeting 2019, Dwingeloo, NL, June 6, 2019

Very-long-baseline interferometry offers unprecedented resolutions in radio astronomy and is under continuous development. There is a long VLBI tradition both in Bonn (MPI für Radioastronomie) and Dwingeloo (ASTRON and JIV-ERIC), and both sites organise regular neighbourhood meetings since last century, in alternate years to the EVN Symposium. For 2019, Dwingeloo hosts the meeting.

Spectroscopy with SOFIA: new results & future opportunities, Schloss Ringberg, Germany, January 20-23, 2019

Building on the success of the 2015/17 Ringberg meetings on spectroscopy with SOFIA at which about 70 participants discussed SOFIA results ranging from nearby star formation to the interstellar medium in nearby galaxies, SOFIA2019 aims at presenting new science results and looking into future science opportunities for the next years enabled by new instrumentation.

The workshop will include a session "SOFIA/APEX technological and scientific synergies" to honor the contributions of Rolf Güsten to both projects on the occasion of his retirement.

13^th BONN workshop on the formation and evolution of neutron stars, Bonn, Germany, December 10, 2018

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to bringing together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research, in a one-day workshop

The 13th BONN workshop will future a “news” session devoted to highlights from ongoing neutron star research. There will be two additional topical sessions on:
Multi-wavelength/multi-messenger observations of neutron stars: future instrumentation and observing facilities

12^th BONN workshop on the formation and evolution of neutron stars, May 14, 2018, Bonn, Germany, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie

Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), Schloss Ringberg, Germany, March 11-14, 2018

Now more than 12 years in operation, the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m submillimeter telescope has significantly contributed to a wide variety of submillimeter astronomy science areas, ranging from the discoveries of new molecules to large and deep imaging of the submillimeter sky.

Since 2012 the Ringberg APEX workshops bring together APEX users working on a wide range of exciting results covering the Solar System to distance galaxies in the early universe. APEX2018 aims at presenting new science results and to looking into new science opportunities for the next years.

The Big Impact of a Big Dish: Science with the Effelsberg 100-m Telescope, Bonn, Germany, 20-21 February 2018

The Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy is happy to announce the workshop: "The Big Impact of a Big Dish: Science with the Effelsberg 100-m telescope", which will be held on 20-21 Feb, 2018 at the MPIfR in Bonn.

This meeting is intended to bring together various user groups of the 100-m telescope with the support staff of the observatory and the technical developers.

11^th BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, December 11-12, 2017

10^th BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, November 14, 2016

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

Young European Radio Astronomers Conference (YERAC), Bonn, Germany, 5-9 September 2016

The Young European Radio Astronomers Conference (YERAC) has been held annually in different radioastronomical centers in Europe since 1968 and has enabled many graduate students and young post-docs doing radio astronomical research to meet and present their current work. For a history of YERAC, see http://www.yerac.org .

YERAC will take place in Bonn for the fifth time. The Max Planck Institute for Radioastronomy, MPIfR, has agreed to provide the funding for board and lodging to all participants. Travel costs are expected to be paid by the participants' host institutes.

Participation is by recommendation only. Supervisors/directors of institutes are asked to nominate candidates and provide a supporting letter to yerac@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de . Each participant is expected to deliver a 15 minute talk about their work. The abstracts will be published electronically.

9^th BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, June 20, 2016

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX2016), Schloss Ringberg, Germany, March 6-9, 2016

Continuing on the success of the 2012/14 Ringberg meetings on APEX science where about 70 participants discussed exciting APEX results ranging from our Solar system to distant galaxies in the Early Universe, APEX2016 aims at presenting new science results and to looking into new science opportunities for the next years.

The conference venue Ringberg Castle provides a unique setting for in depth discussions on current and future science with APEX. In particular, sessions on new scientific results, on synergies with other observatories and on APEX beyond 2017 are envisioned.

Dissecting the Universe - Workshop on Results from High-Resolution VLBI, Bonn, 30 November to 02 December 2015

Recent developments have pushed the limits of resolution in astrophysics to new frontiers. Very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) at millimetre wavelengths or using antennas in space yields resolutions down to tens of microarcseconds (that is, fractions of nanoradians). These observations probe compact objects such as the innermost regions of active galactic nuclei. Space VLBI is living a new era at present with the results from the RadioAstron mission, enhancing radio interferometry in terms of resolution at least one order of magnitude with respect to ground-based VLBI. Millimetre VLBI also brings radio interferometry to a new range of resolution and with much enhanced sensitivity due to improvements in data bit rate. With more antennas capable of VLBI at 3-mm wavelength, and successful observations being carried out at 1-mm, a new window is open to universe at unprecedented resolution. This workshop will review recent results on high resolution radio astronomy, including opportunities provided by new antennas becoming available. It will also discuss on the applications of high-resolution imaging techniques and the synergies in the study of compact objects by space and mm-VLBI together.

Contributions to the workshop will be published online in this webpage; no regular proceedings are planned.

8^th BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, November 30, 2015

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

CHANG-ES Workshop, Bonn, July 13-17, 2015

This is the annual meeting of the international consortium of the CHANG-ES project, in which 35 nearby edge-on galaxies have been observed with the EVLA in C- and L-band in three different arrays in radio continuum and polarization. The aim of the project is to study galactic halos, the interface between the disk's interstellar medium (ISM) and the intergalactic medium (IGM). From the observations we will address questions like how do halos depend on the star formation rate or other in-disk activities or what role do magnetic fields and cosmic rays play in the dynamics of extraplanar matter.

The workshop is mainly meant for consortium members. Non-members are welcome on Thursday and Friday (July 16-17).

Magnetisation of Interstellar and Intergalactic Media: The Prospects of Low-Frequency Radio Observations, Schloss Ringberg, Germany, July 1-4, 2015

This is the sixth meeting of the DFG Research Unit FOR1254 on magnetic fields in the Universe, which is to review the achievements made during the second funding period, supported by invited review talks given by experts in the field. LOFAR is now routinely operational, while 'older working horses', partly upgraded, are being used to cover the higher frequency ranges (GMRT, JVLA). Significant progress has also been achieved in the Research Unit in terms of MHD modeling of galaxies and galaxy clusters, which alleviate and strengthen the interpretation of the observations and the resulting data products, and in the development of modern tools of data analysis.

This workshop is meant for members of the DFG Research Unit FOR1254. Participation of non-members is possible on request.

7^th BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, May 18, 2015

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

Ringberg Workshop on Spectroscopy with the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) , Schloss Ringberg, Germany, March 15-18, 2015

Since 2010 the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy SOFIA) has started contributing to a wide variety of far-infrared (FIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) astronomy science areas, ranging from the discovery of new light molecules to detecting dusty protostars in star forming regions (including infall motion and collapse), thereby significantly complementing and extending the heritage of the recently ended Herschel and Spitzer science missions. SOFIA has completed its major development phase and is now in full operation.

This workshop will be in honor of Eric Becklin, chief scientist and long-term strong supporter of SOFIA, on the occasion of his 75th birthday.

The castle can accommodate about 60-70 participants.

Registration and abstract submission are now open with a deadline January 22nd, 2015.

6^th BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, October 27, 2014

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

Extreme Astrophysics in an Ever-Changing Universe - Time Domain Astronomy in the 21st Century | Celebrating John Seiradakis' 40-year career, Ierapetra, Greece, June 16-20, 2014

Today we know that most phenomena observed in “time-domain” astronomy are related to extreme astrophysical events or processes. Whether it is the explosion of stars in supernovae or the observations of flare stars, pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, blazars or active galactic nuclei, time-domain astronomy stretches across the whole electromagnetic spectrum and beyond. With increasing technical capabilities, the 21st century will see corresponding new instruments being developed or coming online, revolutionising our view of the ever-changing Universe.

Our ambition is to bring together different research communities and provide a platform for an exchange of ideas, experience and methods that may prove invaluable in promoting the unification of time-domain astronomy. Further, to approach these methods qualitatively similarly as probes of very different scale physics in which different effects become dominant at different systems.

The conference also celebrates the career of Prof. John H. Seiradakis, who over the last 40 years has contributed to the field in many aspects.

The participation is limited to strictly 80 participants. Early registration is therefore highly recommended.

99 years of Black Hole - from Astronomy to Quantum Gravity, Potsdam, May 20-22, 2014

The meeting "99 years of Black Holes - from Astronomy to Quantum Gravity" aims for bringing together experts from the research areas on Black Holes and Gravitational Waves, extending towards the future of General Relativitiy and Quantum Physics. This meeting will close the four-year long european funded COST Action "Black Holes in a Violent Universe". The conference is jointly organized by the COST Action MP0905, the MPI für Radioastronomie and the Albert-Einstein-Institut.

The formation of the Solar System, Bonn, 13-15 May 2014

With more than 900 confirmed exoplanets, it is becoming clear that there are many planetary systems with rather different properties to that of the Solar System. This poses the question how our own Solar System formed. The answer to this question is not straight forward, because it is based on hints from the current state on what happened in the past. It turns out that this is an interdisciplinary endeavour, requiring knowledge of supernovae explosions, meteorites, cosmochemistry, structure and evolution of circumstellar discs, star cluster dynamics, and the early dynamical evolution of planetary systems. The goal of this workshop is to provide a platform for information exchange between these different disciplines, putting together the puzzle pieces of the Solar System formation history.

The workshop focusses on:

Cosmochemical constraints on the physical/chemical conditions in the Solar Nebula
Time scales of the dust and planetesimal growth for the Solar System
Models of the Kuiper belt formation
The role of the stellar environemt, with emphasis on star cluster dynamics
Early planetary system development
Future evolution of the Solar System

Contributions from related fields are welcome.
Registration is open from 1st December 2013. The workshop will be limited to 40 participants, early registration is recommended.

558th WE-Heraeus-Seminar on "The Strong Gravity Regime of Black Holes and Neutron Stars", Physikzentrum Bad Honnef, 31 March to 4 April, 2014

The main theme of this seminar is the observation and theoretical description of systems where gravity is strong and non-linear, in particular systems containing black holes and neutron stars which are ideal gravitational laboratories. To cover the complete complexity of this field of research, experts and graduate students from the observational and theoretical community are invited to bring together their expertise.

As a rough guideline, we have the following categories:

Strong-field gravity in GR and its alternatives
Black holes as strong field probes
Neutron stars as strong field probes
Gravitational wave observations and merger events

The program consists of invited as well as contributed talks and posters. We particularly encourage female scientist to contribute to the seminar. For young scientists we award the best poster with a price.

The number of participants is limited to about 70. All local costs (i.e., meals and accommodation) of the participants will be covered. The registration deadline is December 15th, 2013.

5^th BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, March 5, 2014

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), Schloss Ringberg, 19-22 January 2014

After the success of the 2012 Ringberg meeting on APEX science where about 70 participants discussed exciting APEX science ranging from our Solar system to distant galaxies in the Early Universe, time is ripe to review what has been accomplished since then and to look into science opportunities for the next years.

The castle can accommodate about 60-70 participants. Registration is now open and with the registration participants will also be asked to submit a title and a brief abstract that fits into the meeting objectives.

4^th BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, December 16, 2013

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Granada, 19-22 November 2013

Joint COST Conference on "The Galactic Center Black Hole Laboratory".

The Conference is also closely linked to the COST Action MP1104 - "Polarization as a tool to study the Solar System and beyond", the FP7 action "Probing Strong Gravity by Black Holes Across the Range of Masses", and the collaborative research center SFB956 "Conditions and Impact of Star Formation - Astrophysics, Instrumentation and Laboratory Research".

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Ioannina, Greece, 16-19 September 2013

The Summer School “Black Holes at all scales” aimed at postgraduate students and young postdoctoral fellows. The program includes reviews on various aspects of Black Hole-related science, such as: demographics and formation theories of galactic black hole binaries in our and nearby galaxies, our "own" supermassive black hole on the Galactic center, formation and cosmic evolution of supermassive black holes, phenomenology of active galactic nuclei and a review of their "unification" theories, theory of jet formation and energy extraction in black hole systems, as well as the scaling of accretion and jet physics from mini-quasars to quasars.

The Modern Radio Universe 2013, Bonn, 22-26 April 2013

80 years ago, in spring 1933, Karl Jansky published his discovery of cosmic radio emission. This paved the way not only for a new discipline, radio astronomy, but also for an exploration of the universe that now encompasses almost the entire electromagnetic window. Today, radio astronomy is about to enter into yet another new era with a number of new or upgraded radio facilities coming online and major new initiatives, like the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), are starting up. This conference will try to highlight the original and exciting science currently being produced by radio astronomical telescopes, such as the GBT, Effelsberg, LOFAR, ALMA, the JVLA, eMERLIN, EVN, VLBA, as well as pathfinder experiments of the SKA, and others. Science areas that will be discussed are among others: Cosmology, galaxy evolution, AGN and compact objects, star formation, interstellar medium, The Milky Way and Galactic science, radio transients, fundamental and astroparticle physics, extreme physics and associated theory. This fresh view on the radio universe will improve our current knowledge of the universe and highlight new trends in radio astronomy. The science delivered by the radio astronomical community addresses key questions in modern astrophysics that may lead us to even more ambitious science goals to be targeted by future radio facilities like the SKA.

3^rd BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, April 15, 2013

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

Radio Interference with Large Bandwidth Observations, Bonn, 8-12 April 2013

This meeting is the first in a series of technical workshops combining several aspects of engineering and operational issues at European radio observatories. This provides the unique opportunity to cross border the different communities to see what "the others" are doing and enhance communication between engineers, scientists and operators. It is therefore strongly recommended that all attendees not only visit their dedicated sessions but also attend sessions of other target audience.

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Geneva, 18-22 March 2013

COST Conference at CERN on "The biggest accelerators in space and on earth"

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Brighton, 16-18 January 2013

COST Winter School at the University of Sussex on "From Classical to Quantum GR: Application to Black Holes"

RadioAstron Key Science Programme: Organisation and Planning Workshop, Bonn, 3-4 December 2012

The workshop was aimed at discussing the letters of intent submitted by various groups of investigators who intended to conduct extensive observational programs in the key science areas of RadioAstron. The discussions provided a basis for shaping up the Key Science Program (KSP) of RadioAstron, forming and structuring the KSP teams, and planning further steps for preparation and submission of the KSP proposals to the programme committees of RadioAstron and the supporting ground VLBI networks and radio telescopes.

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Palermo, 21-22 November 2012

5^th Working Groups' Meeting on "Black Holes and Jets"

2^nd BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, October 22, 2012

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Brussels, 16-17 October 2012

Joint COST Workshop on "Polarisation & Active Galactic Nuclei"

Q2C5 - Space-based Research in Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Cologne, 9-12 October 2012

The purpose of Q2C5, the fifth of the Quantum-to-Cosmos workshop series, was to highlight the field of fundamental physics, astronomy, and cosmology with experiments and observations on ground and in space in order to gain improved insight into the fundamental laws of nature. Space provides complementary experimental and observational conditions not available on ground. The fifth Workshop continued the tradition of the first four meetings, but at the same time was used to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 100-meter Effelsberg radio telescope.

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Malta, 24-26 April 2012

Joint COST Conference on "Black Holes: From Quantum To Gravity"

1^st BONN workshop on - FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF NEUTRON STARS -, Bonn, Germany, February 27, 2012

The BONN neutron star workshops aim to to bring together observers and theoreticians to exchange and discuss new ideas related to neutron star research in a one-day workshop.

Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), Schloss Ringberg, 12-15 February 2012

With the recent extension of APEX by the partners beyond 2012 and the changes in the submm/FIR observatory landscape with the advent of Herschel, SOFIA and ALMA, it is timely to discuss recent new science results with APEX and its scientific and instrumental opportunities in the future.

The conference venue Ringberg Castle will provide a unique setting for in depth discussions on current and future science with APEX. In particular, sessions on new scientific results, on synergies with other observatories and on APEX beyond 2012 are envisioned.

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Manchester, 2-4 November 2011

4^th Working Groups' Meeting on "Black Holes in Orbit"

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Bologna, 12-13 April 2011

3^rd Workings Groups' Meeting on "Primordial Black Holes and how to grow BHs"

Workshop on "Renewable Energy Concepts for mega-Science Projects demonstrated at the SKA and its Pathfinders", Berlin, 7 April 2011

In order to explore the boundaries of our current knowledge, many new scientific experiments and facilities naturally require a large technical infrastructure. As a result, these mega-Science projects also often have a large power consumption that is not only costly but may also be sustainable on environmental grounds. In order to enable mega-Science projects also in the future and to reduce both their long-term financial and environmental costs, renewable energy solutions should be employed.

20th EVGA Meeting & 2th Analysis Workshop, Bonn, 29-31 March 2011

The scope of the 20th Meeting of EVGA covers all aspects of geodetic and astrometric VLBI including hardware, correlation, analysis and results both scientifically and technologically while the 12th IVS Analysis Workshop is devoted purely to discussions of the operational aspects of data analysis in the framework of IVS.

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Valencia, 15-16 November 2010

2^nd Working Groups' Meeting

European Single Dish School in the Era of Arrays (ESSEA), Bonn, 27 September to 1 October 2010

This school provided information on the theoretical background as well as on practical matters of radio astronomical observations with a single-dish telescope. A visit to the 100-m telescope in Effelsberg with observations was also included. The school was dedicated mainly to graduated students and PostDocs in astronomy.

Receivers & Array Workshop, Bonn, 19-20 September 2010

The meeting was aimed at bringing together scientists and receiver engineers who are working in the field of receiver developments of more than a handful feeds. We will review the scientific case for large spectroscopic MMIC arrays on large telescopes. The hardware requirements for effective use of such arrays, including telescope optics, array receivers, and digital back-ends will also be reviewed.

The Radio Sky: LOFAR to SKA (AG-SplinterMeeting), Bonn, 14-15 September 2010

This Splinter workshop informed about the technical status and the science projects of both telescopes, LOFAR and SKA. First results from LOFAR were presented.

COST ACTION MP0905 - BLACK HOLES IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE, Bonn, 24-25 June 2010

1^st Working Groups' Meeting

ASTRONOMY IN THE NEXT DECADE: SYNERGIES WITH THE SQUARE KILOMETRE ARRAY, Bonn, 14-18 April 2008

The aim of the EU Marie Curie programme (MCCT) was to promote, discuss and disseminate the SKA and SKADS ideas to young researchers. The programme should provide the next generation of European astronomers with basic and advanced scientific and technology knowledge, thereby securing the high-level role of European radio astronomy for the future. The programme consisted of training courses, schools, astronomical workshops and technical workshops. This was the first astronomical MCCT SKADS workshop which was focused on the astronomical and scientific aspects of SKA, addressing in detail Key Science Areas of SKA.

European Radio Interferometry School, Bonn, 10-15 September 2007

The purpose of the school was to present the basic principles of radio interferometry techniques and data analysis, covering general aspects common to all observations but also specialised topics including high and low-frequency, polarimetry, spectroscopy and high resolution (VLBI) observations. Use of interferometer arrays such as MERLIN, WSRT, VLA and the European VLBI Network (EVN) were covered, as well as introductions to arrays such as ALMA, LOFAR and the SKA which are under development. The school was addressed both to potential new users of radio interferometry, and to astronomers and students already in the field who wish to broaden their knowledge and skills.

Multiband Approach to AGN, Bonn, 30 September to 2 October 2004

The meeting aimed at bringing together scientists involved in AGN studies in different spectral bands, and discussing the nuclear activity in galaxies from different perspectives and in connection with similar processes occurring in galactic objects (X-ray binaries and "microquasars"). Critical aspects of AGN and XRB research were highlighted in a small number of invited reviews, and further explored in the contributed talks and discussion forums. The workshop was focused on three broadly-defined areas in which various fields of AGN research intersect with each other and with studies of the XRB.

Exploring the Cosmic Frontier - Astrophysical Instruments for the 21st Century, Berlin, 18-21 May 2004

The symposium in Berlin was dedicated to presenting and discussing the fundamental scientific problems that will be addressed by major future astrophysical facilities in the next few decades.

The Magnetized Interstellar Medium, Antalya, 8-12 September 2003

The Magnetized Interstellar Medium conference was hold in Antalya, Turkey, on 8-12 September 2003, and was supported by the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie and the Akdeniz University.