GC News

Researchers from the Department of Theoretical Physics, Masaryk University, talk about their research interests, motivation, work, the environment at the department, and the general atmosphere of this institute. Research areas include quantum mechanics, string theory, black holes, optics, binary stars, stellar populations, and the largest structures in the Universe - galaxy clusters. 

Students of Masaryk University - Lea, Barborka, and Martin - introduce Brno from the moment when you get off the train at the Brno Main Railway Station (Brno Hlavní Nádraží), through taking Tram (Šalina) Number 4 to the Planetarium, to the point when you can already spot the Brno Observatory and Planetarium at the Square of Peace (Náměstí Míru). Enjoy and we are looking forward to welcoming you soon to Brno!

In the series of three videos, we are going to introduce (i) the IAUS405 venue, (ii) Brno as the city, and (iii) Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Masaryk University. In the first video, Michal Zajaček - the LOC and SOC chair - will guide you through the Brno Observatory and Planetarium, the main venue of the IAU Symposium 405, our Galactic center workshop.

During the International Astronomical Union Symposium 405 (Galactic Center workshop) there will be three main items on the program to be offered to the public: (i) public lecture by Andrea M. Ghez, Nobel Prize recipient; (ii) a dedicated outdoor black hole photo exhibition; and (iii) a surprising 3D black hole model called Singusphere or singulóna in Czech.​ The common topic is From light to darkness and back again or Ex luce in tenebras et rursus, which expresses both the history and the nature of the exploration of black holes.

Andrea M. Ghez, recipient of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the center of our Galaxy, will deliver a public lecture at the Brno Observatory and Planetarium on Tuesday, May 19th 2026, from 19:30. You can reserve seats at https://www.brnoid.cz/cs/hvezdarna-vstupenky?e=32234.

Based on the Scientific Organizing Committee evaluation of the submitted contributions, the preliminary program of the IAU Symposium 405 was published, which can be looked through interactively at https://gc2026.muni.cz/programme, including talk abstracts. We also published the current list of posters at https://gc2026.muni.cz/programme/posters. 

For IAUS405 participants we prepared a rich accompanying social program, including the Welcome cocktail, Conference dinner, sightseeing tour, and the concert full of beautiful Czech and Moravian music. In addition, participants can plan various free-time activities to enjoy Brno and its surroundings even more.