MODEST 26
Modelling and Observing Dense Star Clusters in Vietnam
Dense Stellar Systems from Globular to Nuclear Star Clusters
Quy Nhon, ICISE Vietnam, Oct. 11-17, 2026
Scientific Organising Committee (SOC):
Management: Abbas Askar (CAMK, Warsaw, Poland), Tomek Bulik (Univ. of Warsaw, Poland), Rainer Spurzem (NAOC/CAS, Beijing, China and Univ. Heidelberg, Germany); Members (alphabetic order of family name): Michiko Fujii (Tokyo Univ., Japan), Jarrod Hurley (Swinburne Univ., Melbourne, Australia), Hyung Mok Lee (Seoul Natl. Univ., Korea Rep.), Quynh Lan Nguyen (Phenikaa Univ. Hanoi, Vietnam), Dieu Nguyen (Univ. of Michigan, USA), Fred Rasio (Northwestern Univ., Evanston, USA), Dominik Schleicher (Sapienza Univ. Rome, Italy), Anna-Lisa Varri (Univ. of Edinburgh, UK)
Scientific Rationale
This is an annual meeting on star cluster modelling and observations, including their stellar, binary, and higher-order multiple populations, as well as compact objects such as X-ray binaries, cataclysmic variables, millisecond pulsars, neutron stars, and black holes. These systems are important laboratories for multi-messenger astrophysics in both the electromagnetic spectrum and gravitational waves. Existing or upcoming large surveys using ground and space based facilities such as JWST, Vera Rubin, Gaia, ESO-VLT, MUSE, LAMOST, FAST, SKA, and the Einstein Probe will deliver unprecedented amounts of data. A central aim of the conference is to discuss how to connect this growing wealth of observational data with state-of-the-art numerical models, and to help train the next generation of astrophysicists in modern modelling and data analysis techniques.
Related topics will include the formation of dense stellar systems across cosmic time, from dense molecular clouds and embedded stellar systems to cosmological simulations of star cluster formation and evolution. We will also consider the role of star clusters in galactic archaeology, the formation and growth of nuclear star clusters, and their interaction with intermediate-mass and supermassive black holes. Phenomena such as tidal disruption events, quasi-periodic eruptions, extreme mass ratio inspirals, and other transient signals will be discussed in the context of upcoming multi-messenger observations.
Another key theme will be compact objects and gravitational wave sources, their dynamical formation channels, their observational signatures, and the prospects offered by planned gravitational wave observatories. The meeting will also provide a forum for exchange on new numerical techniques, population synthesis methods, few-body dynamics, and advances in high-performance computing relevant to simulations of dense stellar systems.
Finally, this will be the first MODEST conference held in Vietnam, offering an opportunity to foster closer interactions and strengthen future collaboration between the MODEST community and scientists in in Vietnam and across the Asia–Pacific region.
The following list gives an idea of relevant topics:
[to be edited]
• Numerical approaches to modelling stellar systems and their constituents
- Simulation techniques and codes for star cluster dynamics
- High-performance computing in stellar dynamics simulations
- Gravitational few-body dynamics
- State-art-of-the-art in binary and multiple stellar evolution and population synthesis
• Observational properties of dense stellar systems in different environments
- Multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic observations of star clusters in the Milky Way and beyond
- Multiple stellar populations in globular cluster
- Kinematic properties of Milky Way star clusters
• Formation of dense stellar systems across cosmic time
- Dense molecular clouds and gas-embedded stellar systems
- Hydrodynamical simulations of star cluster formation
- The link between star clusters and galactic archeology
- Formation and growth of nuclear star clusters and their link to massive black holes
- Star clusters in cosmological zoom simulations
• Stellar multiplicity, exotica, and transients in star clusters
- Binary systems and higher order multiples
- Formation and evolution of blue straggler stars, X-ray binaries, cataclysmic variables, and millisecond pulsars in star clusters
- Tidal disruption and other transient events in dense stellar environments
- Brown dwarfs, planetary systems and interstellar objects in star clusters
• Compact objects and gravitational wave sources
- Fate of compact objects in star clusters
- Dynamical formation channels of gravitational wave sources
- Observational signatures of dynamically formed gravitational wave sources and differences with other formation channels
- Upcoming and planned gravitational wave observatories and their astrophysical importance
13th Silk Road Conference
(1st Meeting of Silk Road AREA)
(Silk Road AREA = the Silk Road Astronomy Research and Education Alliance = Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-China-Korea and more countries)
Dali, China, June 23-26, 2025
Exploring the Frontiers of Dynamical Astronomy with High-Performance Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Leading-Edge Observational Techniques
Teeminar (= German for Tea Seminar) is the group seminar of Silk Road Project at NAOC/KIAA, sometimes extended by visitors or talks from nearby institutes or disciplines.
- The Teeminar Beijing usually is part of the general Teeminar program (Teeminar Heidelberg, via zoom), but if listed here (sometimes) it takes place as an in-person or hybrid event (in person in NAOC or Morningside center, and sometimes via zoom). Watch here for schedule.
Time and Place : weekly, day to be confirmed, partly at NAOC, partly at KIAA/PKU, partly at Morningside Center of AMSS/CAS. (How to find KIAA on PKU campus) (Location Map of NAOC) . For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
2025
Morningside Seminar and Silk Road Seminar in General Relativity and Astrophysics: June 12, 2025, Thursday , 11:00 - 12:00 (China Standard Time CST = UTC+8), NAOC Seminar Room A408: Claire Ye (CITA, Toronto, Canada): Connecting Compact Object Dynamics with Multi-Messenger Observations in Dense Star Clusters
Morningside Seminar and Silk Road Seminar in General Relativity and Astrophysics: June 5, 2025, Thursday , 16:00 - 17:00 (China Standard Time CST = UTC+8), Central Europe: 10:00 - 11:00, AMSS/CAS North Building Room 110: Toshitaka Kajino (Beihang Univ., Beijing, China; NAOJ, Tokyo, Japan): Multi-messenger Era Solving the Mystery of Neutrinos and Origin of Elements
2024
HYBRID: December 6, 2024, Friday , 16:00 - 17:30 (China Standard Time CST = UTC+8), Central Europe: 09:00 - 10:30, Seminar Room A208 NAOC, František Dinnbier: From gas embedded phase to dissolution in the galactic field: Several topics from evolution of open star clusters (seminar room NAOC and zoom online)
Morningside Seminar and Silk Road Seminar in General Relativity and Astrophysics: October 11, 2024 , 9:00 - 10:00 (China Standard Time CST = UTC + 8), AMSS/CAS North Building Room 110: Luciano Rezzolla: M87* and Sgr A*: Imaging supermassive black holes
2023
HYBRID: November 28, 2023, Tuesday 09:00 - 11:30 (CET = UTC+1), China: 16:00 - 17:30: Rainer Spurzem: triples and multiples in star cluster simulations, inspirations from MSE and the Kunming / Yunnan observatory team (in person in Beijing, online elsewhere).
HYBRID: November 21, 2023, Tuesday 09:00 - 11:30 (CET = UTC+1), China: 16:00 - 17:30: Shiyan Zhong: Light curves of repeated partial tidal disruption events (in person in Beijing, online elsewhere).
https://www.astro-silkroad.uz/
Exploring the Frontiers of Dynamical Astronomy with High-Performance Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Leading-Edge Observational Techniques.
We continue the numbering of these conferences, which started as Korea-China meeting in 2009; later it became Kazakhstan-China-Korea meeting, and due to increasing interest and participation of colleagues from all over central and east Asia we decided now to rename it to Silk Road Conference.
Scientific Organizing Committee*:
Rainer Spurzem (ARI/ZAH, NAOC/CAS, KIAA/PKU)
Zhongmu Li (Dali U)
Bobomurat Ahmedov (ITP, IAS, IFAR, UBAI, HAI)
Kanat Baigarim (ECL/NU), Chingis Omarov (FAI), Ernazar Abdikamalov (ECL/NU), Bekdaulet Shukirgaliyev (ECL/NU)
Hyung Mok Lee (SNU)
Thijs (M.B.N.) Kouwenhoven (XJTLU)
*Abbreviations of affiliations:
- ARI/ZAH - Astronomisches Rechen-Institut at Zentrum fuer Astronomie der Universitaet Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Dali U – Dali University, Dali, China
- ITP - Institute of Theoretical Physics, National University of Uzbekistan, Tashkent
- IAS - Institute for Advanced Studies, New Uzbekistan University, Tashkent
- IFAR - Institute of Fundamental and Applied Research, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- UBAI - Ulugh Begh Astronomical Institute, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Tashkent
- HIT - Harbin Institute of Technology, China
- NAOC/CAS - National Astronomical Observatories of China/ Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- KIAA/PKU - Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University, Beijing, China
- FAI – Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- ECL/NU - Energetic Cosmos Lab, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
- SNU – Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- XJTLU – Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
Visa information
See conference webpage link above.
From Dec 2024 to Dec 2025, citizens from 38 countries can enter China and stay for up to 30 days without Visa, where the purpose of academic exchange is included.
See http://kr.china-embassy.gov.cn/lsfw/hzlxzyw/zgqz/202412/t20241202_11536235.htm (announcement taken from Chinese Embassy in Korea, but applies globally)