The international online scientific conference “Current Problems in Astronomy and Astrophysics” took place from September 23 to 26, 2024, organized by the Astronomical Observatory and the Department of Astrophysics at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. The event brought together approximately 120 astronomers from various Ukrainian cities (Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Uzhhorod, Ternopil, Lutsk, and Lviv) and 14 participants from 11 countries: Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, the Netherlands, Georgia, Spain, China, the USA, and Canada.
In his opening remarks, Vice-Rector for Research, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and Professor Roman Gladyshevskyi emphasized the significant role of astronomical research in shaping the modern scientific worldview. He outlined the history and current state of astronomy in Lviv and wished the forum participants fruitful discussions.
Academician Yaroslav Yatskiv, President of the Ukrainian Astronomical Association, highlighted the origins of astronomy in Ukraine and outlined the scope, current status, and challenges of astronomical research amidst the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. He inspired participants with confidence in a victorious outcome and in the future development of scientific infrastructure—both within Ukraine and globally.
Throughout the conference, participants presented and discussed new research findings from both Ukrainian astronomers and their international colleagues. Four plenary sessions and nine sessions across six thematic sections took place: “Physics of Stars, the Interstellar Medium, and Galaxies” (18 presentations), “Physics of the Sun, Planets, and the Solar System” (15 presentations), “Extragalactic Astronomy, Cosmology, and Gravity” (14 presentations), “High-Energy Astrophysics” (8 presentations), “Physics of Near-Earth Space and Artificial Earth Satellites” (9 presentations), and “History of Astronomy and Astronomical Education in Ukraine” (6 presentations).
Over the course of the four-day event, participants heard 94 of the 96 scheduled presentations. Twenty-four presentations were delivered during plenary sessions, and 70 during the thematic sessions. All presentations were engaging and informative, as evidenced by the active Q&A sessions and discussions that followed.
The conference served as a platform for the active discussion of new results, challenges, and potential solutions, bringing together observational astronomers and specialists in the computer modeling of astrophysical phenomena and theoretical aspects across various fields of astronomy and astrophysics. The program and abstracts are available on the conference website.