Beijing to Host 2012 General Assembly of IAU

According to a news release from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and China Association for Science and Technology, Beijing will host the 28th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in August 2012, the first time the event has ever been held in China. It is anticipated around 3,000 astronomers will present at the event. Zhan Wenlong, vice president of CAS, reminded those attending a news conference that China has made historical achievements in astronomy in the past 30 years, ranging across advancements in observation, equipment and technology. The most momentous in recent years include the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) project, and the planned observation at the South Pole. Founded in 1919, IAU is a collection of professional astronomers from all over the world, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy. It has 10,077 individual members and 70 state members. The IAU General Assembly convenes every three years, and is known as the "Olympics of the astronomical circle."