Decades later, Viktor Ambartsumian’s brainchild summer schools operate in Byurakan Observatory

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The7thByurakan International Summer School (7BISS) for Young Astronomersin the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) in Armenia began September 7 and will last until September 12th themed “Astronomy and Data Science.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the summer school is taking place online as a safety precaution.

This will be the 7thschool of the series ofByurakan International Summer Schools (BISS)founded in 2006 and being held once every 2 years, one of the most important and regular astronomical summer/winter schools in the world. According to the analysis of the IAU Division C (Education, Outreach and Heritage), BISS is among the top-3 astronomical schools in the world (together with IAU ISYAs and Vatican schools, VOSS), as well as the NEON/OPTICON schools are among the best ones.

This time BISS focuses on Data Science and it is entitled“Astronomy and Data Science”, as it will be followed by aSymposium“Astronomical Surveys and Big Data 2”(ASBD-2, 14-18 Sep 2020). During the school the students will have lectures and practical tutorial sessions on Astronomical Surveys, Digitization of astronomical data, Astronomical Catalogues, Databases and Archives, Astrostatistics and Astroinformatics, Big Data in Astronomy and Virtual Observatory tools. Thefirst ASBDin 2015 was very successful with participation of representatives of large surveys, VO projects and computer scientists and we will continue with its update in 2020. Active students that will propose talks for ASBD-2 meeting, will be also invited to participate in it and stay in Byurakan for the second week as well.

In addition, on 18 Sep 2020, the Byurakan Observatory will hold the Official Award Ceremony ofViktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize 2020.

Running such a school was astrophysicist Viktor Ambartsumian’s brainchild, and he attempted to organize the first international youth school in 1987 in Byurakan, but the project was never continued because of the Soviet Union's collapse.

Byurakan International Summer Schools was revived by the incumbent director of the Byurakan Observatory Areg Michaelyan and Armenian Astronomical Society in 2006.