Star clusters, both within our own Galaxy and beyond, are a window onto a wide range of astrophysical processes, and probe questions about both the evolution of stars, as well as the evolution of galaxies.
The conference will focus on uniting theory and observations of star cluster-related science, and maximizing the science return of new and upcoming international observatories across a wide range of wavelengths. For this, we will discuss and explore the intricate link between the co-formation and evolution of star clusters and their host galaxies using local and high-redshift observations, as well as cosmological simulations.
Another goal of the meeting will be to prepare for future work with present and upcoming facilities such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, the European Space Agency’s Euclid, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), Xuntian (CSST, Chinese Space Station Telescope), and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The timing of this conference is crucial; with extensive progress being obtained by the JWST and Euclid,Rubin and SKA undergoing commissioning, and Roman and Xuntian/CSST having planned launches in the next few years, star cluster-related science is about to be revolutionized.
These discussions will be critical to improve our current understanding of star cluster formation within galaxies, and will inform future generations of theoretical models of cluster formation and evolution over the history of the Universe.