The International Astronomical Union’s (IAU’s) General Assembly 2024, the first ever to be held in Africa, has received more than 3 000 abstracts, its organising committee has announced. This number was described by the committee as a “milestone”, being the greatest number of abstracts ever received for the conference. The General Assembly will be held in Cape Town, at the International Convention Centre (ICC), in August, and will be hosted by South Africa’s National Research Foundation, supported by the country’s Department of Science and Innovation.

“It marks a groundbreaking moment in the IAU’s over 100-year history,” enthused the committee, in its statement. “Not only will it be the first in Africa, but it will also be the first time that the event will adopt an open-access format, making it accessible to anyone anywhere in the world who has access to the internet.”

Abstracts have been submitted by researchers from more than 150 countries, from every continent (“from Chile to Japan and Finland to Zambia”, as the committee put it). They included astronomers, communicators and students. Close to 50% of the submissions came from early career researchers and students. While covering a wide range of topics, the submissions did show a “notable” stress on galactic astronomy and surveys, and on major instruments, including South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope array, and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s James Webb Space (infrared) Telescope.

“The integration of Working Group Meetings and IAU Offices Institutional Meetings emphasises collaborative efforts in global coordination, inclusivity, and sustainability, within astronomy,” affirmed the committee. “Key focus areas include Global Coordination, Junior Members, Women in Astronomy, Equity and Inclusion, Professional-Amateur Relations, and Dark Sky Protection, alongside IAU Offices like Astronomy for Development, Astronomy Outreach, Young Astronomers, Astronomy Education, and the Centre for Dark and Quiet Sky Protection. These gatherings reflect the community’s commitment to advancing research, fostering collaboration, and addressing contemporary challenges in astronomy.”

Cape Town’s ICC was chosen as the site for the 2024 General Assembly because it was dedicated to sustainability practices. These included the promotion of virtual participation in conferences (and so reducing travel-generated greenhouse-gas emissions) and the encouragement of conference attendees to undertake socially and environmentally impactful activities. “The IAU General Assembly 2024 is committed to sustainability and reducing environmental impact,” explained the committee.