4BISS - FOURTH BYURAKAN INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL FOR YOUNG ASTRONOMERS 15-23 September 2012, Byurakan (Armenia) First Announcement The Fourth Byurakan International Summer School(4BISS) for young astronomers will take place on September 15-23, 2012 in Byurakan (Armenia). It is being organized jointly by the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) and the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS). The School is also devoted to the great medieval scientist Anania Shirakatsi’s 1400th anniversary and will be linked to Anania Shirakatsi?1400 International Archaeoastronomical Meeting on Astronomical heritage in the national culture on Sep 25-28, so that the interested students may also participate in this event after the school. On September 18, the Award Ceremony of Viktor Ambartsumian International Prize 2012, one of the major prizes in astronomy/astrophysics will take place in the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, and the School participants will take part in it. The Byurakan Observatory is one of the main observational centers of the former Soviet Union and is an important observatory with modern facilities in the Middle East region. It was founded in 1946 by V.A. Ambartsumian and is well known for its large spectroscopic surveys: the First and Second Byurakan Surveys, undertaken by B.E. Markarian and colleagues. The Byurakan Observatory hosts a number of medium-size optical telescopes, the most important being the 2.6m classical telescope and 1m Schmidt telescope. There are various modern astronomical instruments, including the multi-pupil spectrograph (VAGR). The Byurakan Observatory holds the Digitized First Byurakan Survey (DFBS, or the Markarian survey), containing low-dispersion spectra for ~20,000,000 objects, which is the basis of the Armenian Virtual Observatory (ArVO), a member of the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA). Many qualified specialists work presently in Byurakan, who are prepared to teach modern astrophysics to young people. In addition, a number of well-known scientists are invited to lecture during the school on various interesting topics. Anania Shirakatsi (612-685) was the greatest Armenian scientist and one of the world greatest scientists of the Middle Ages. He was a philosopher, mathematician, cosmologist, chronologist, the founder of exact and natural sciences in Armenia. Having advanced astronomical views for his epoch and having left rich astronomical heritage, Shirakatsi is by right considered to be the founder of astronomy in Armenia. The previous Byurakan International Summer Schools were held in 2006, 2008 and 2010 (the last one combined with the IAU ISYA-2010) and attracted each time several dozens of students from Albania, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, and Armenia. Famous scientists from the USA (Daniel Weedman, Robert Williams, Lev Titarchuk, Kam-Ching Leung, Leslie Sage, Don Barry), Germany (Dieter Engels, Lutz Wisotzki, Tigran Arshakian), France (Daniel Kunth, Michel Dennefeld, Gary Mamon, Georges Alecian, Philippe Prugniel, Alain Sarkissian, Mustapha Meftah), Italy (Massimo Turatto, Corinne Rossi, Riccardo Claudi), Spain (Garik Israelian), Belgium (Jean-Pierre De Greve), Russia (Gennady Bisnovatyi-Kogan, Sergei Dodonov, Igor Chilingarian, Aleksei Moiseev), Australia (John (Hovhannes) Sarkissian), as well as Byurakan and Yerevan State University (YSU) scientists Areg Mickaelian, Tigran Magakian, Tigran Movsessian, Elena Nikogossian,Artashes Petrosian,Haik Harutyunian,Lusine Sargsyan, and Avetis Sadoyan have been the lecturers. TOPICS * Ground-based Telescopes and Modern Observational Techniques * Space Telescopes and Space Missions * Computers for Astronomy: Astronomical Data Reduction * Catalogs, Archives, Databases and Virtual Observatories * Studies of Planets, Stars, Nebulae, and Galaxies by various methods * Astronomical Surveys and Future Giant Projects * Archaeoastronomy and Astronomical Heritage EVENTS Most of the time will be devoted to lectures (2-3 lectures daily) and practical courses (observations and data reduction). The following events will take place during the School: * Lectures on different aspects of astrophysics * Observations with 2.6m telescope * Data reduction with MIDAS and IRAF packages * Observations with small telescopes * Practical courses of astronomy with computers * Acquaintance with the Byurakan Observatory and its research * Excursions to famous Armenian sightseeing LIST OF LECTURERS AND LECTURES Dr. Georges ALECIAN (OBSPM, France) (TBC): Prof. Gennady BISNOVATYI-KOGAN (Russia): Dr.Haik HARUTYUNIAN (BAO, Armenia): Prof. Garik ISRAELIAN (IAC, Spain): Prof. Richard LOVELACE (Cornell University, USA) (TBC): Cosmic Jets and Magnetic Fields Dr. Areg MICKAELIAN (BAO, Armenia): Astronomical Surveys, Catalogs, Archives, Databases and VOs Prof. Jayant NARLIKAR (IUCAA, India): Dr. Elena NIKOGOSSIAN (BAO, Armenia): Dr. Alain SARKISSIAN (LATMOS, UVSQ, France): VO applications for asteroid and exoplanet search Dr. Grazyna STATSINSKA (OBSPM, France) (TBC): Prof. Robert WILLIAMS (STScI, USA): Prof. Yervant TERZIAN (Cornell University, USA): The Physics of Planetary Nebulae PARTICIPATION AND ACCOMMODATION Upper-level University students and post-graduate students are eligible to apply for participation. The students must have a working knowledge of English which will be the official language of the school, as well as sufficient level in physics and mathematics. The participants will stay in the Byurakan Observatory hotel. Meals will be offered in Byurakan, too. There is no participation fee. All lecturers and students may stay in Byurakan for free and the meals will be also offered for free. Those participants who wish to stay in Yerevan hotels should take care for the payments by themselves. The organizers will also take care for the transportation of all participants from the airport to Byurakan and back. SPONSORS AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT The school is supported by the Armenian Government, the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO), and the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS). A limited amount of travel grants for the students is available. Those interested in such support should fill in the corresponding fields in the registration form. DEADLINES June 10, 2012 First (this) Announcement July 20, 2012 Deadline for applications for participation and support July 25, 2012 Notification on distribution of travel grants July 31, 2012 Second Announcement with tentative program August 10, 2012 Deadline for final registration Sep 05, 2012 Final Announcement with detailed program and practical info Sep 15-23, 2012 Second Byurakan International Summer School LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (LOC) * A.M. Mickaelian (Chair) * G.S. Harutyunyan (Secretary) * H.V. Abrahamyan * A.S. Amirkhanian * H.A. Harutyunian * T.Yu. Magakian * E.H. Nikoghosyan * G.M. Paronyan CONTACTS Address Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO), Byurakan 0213, Aragatzotn province, Armenia Phones +374-10-525505, +374-91-195914(Areg Mickaelian), +374-77-797090 (Gohar Harutyunyan) Fax +374-10-580656 E-mails aregmick@aras.am(Areg Mickaelian), goharutyunyan@gmail.com(Gohar Harutyunyan) URL http://www.aras.am/SS2012/ Registration is open at: http://www.aras.am/SS2012/registration.html REGISTRATION FORM Name: First name: Birthdate: Sex: University, department: Year and stage of Academic studies: Country: Your reasons for wishing to attend the school: Name and e-mail address of your supervisor or a person who will give recommendation: Do you plan to give a presentation: yes no Title of your presentation: Participation in Anania Shirakatsi meeting on Sep 25-28: yes no Title of your talk: Postal Address: Phone: Fax: E-mail: Web page: Do you need support? yes no Motivation and amount of financial support (travel grant): The filled in registration form may be sent by e-mail (aregmick@aras.am). DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: July 20, 2012 ! ,