From May 25 to 29, Yerevan will host the CAP 2026 conference (Communicating Astronomy with the Public), organized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), marking the first time the event will be held in Armenia. The conference is expected to bring together around 200 participants from various countries.

According to Areg Mickaelian, director of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, attendees will include astronomers, educators, science communicators, journalists, and professionals from various fields, Armenpress reports.

“This is a special event held every two years. In addition to in-person attendance, online participation will also be available. The conference will serve as a platform to discuss methods of popularizing astronomy. Its goal is to promote experience-sharing among astronomers, public relations specialists, and science journalists,” Mickaelian explained.

The event is jointly organized by the IAU and the Viktor Ambartsumian Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. The scientific organizing committee includes Samir Dhurde (Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, chair), Aviva Yamani and Naomi Asabre Frimpong (co-chairs, IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach), Areg Mickaelian, and other international representatives.

Beyond CAP 2026, other astronomy events are planned in Armenia. From September 14 to 18, an international scientific conference titled “Our Unstable Universe” will be held, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Byurakan Observatory.

In the same year, Byurakan Observatory will also inaugurate its newly established planetarium and officially open the Museum of the History of Armenian Astronomy.

The conference is supported by the IAU’s Commission C2, the Office for Astronomy Outreach, the Byurakan Observatory, the IAU South-West and Central Asia Regional Office, the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS), and the Armenian Virtual Observatory (ArVO).