Stellar Ages as Cosmic Clocks: From the Milky Way to the Universe

Organizers:

G. Casali (The Australian National University), R. Jimenez (ICREA, ICCUB), L. Casagrande (The Australian National University)

How old are stars? This simple question is one of the most fundamental and challenging in astronomy. Stellar ages cannot be measured directly, yet they are crucial for understanding a wide range of astrophysical processes: tracing the formation and assembly history of the Milky Way, constraining the chronology of the Universe, probing the evolution of planetary systems, and interpreting the star formation histories of distant galaxies.

This conference in Benasque will bring together leading experts from Galactic archaeology, stellar evolution, planetary science, and cosmology to explore the impact of stellar age across astrophysics. Stellar ages serve as temporal benchmarks, revealing how stars, planetary systems, and galaxies evolve over time, and serving as an anchor for the age of the Universe, helping to solve the Hubble tension.

With new data from Gaia DR4, upcoming Roman and PLATO asteroseismic measurements, and large spectroscopic surveys such as 4MOST and WEAVE, the precision and reliability of stellar ages are entering a transformative era. The conference will highlight these future advances, discuss synergies between astrometry, spectroscopy, and age-dating methods such as asteroseismology, gyrochronology, isochrone fitting etc.

By connecting classical and novel approaches, and current and next-generation observations, this conference aims to foster a comprehensive view of stellar ages as a cornerstone of astrophysics, from the life of individual stars to the evolution of galaxies and the cosmos.

The conference will also encourage meetings and collaborations between experts from diverse fields working on stellar ages. Dedicated discussion sessions and review talks will take place each day, fostering new ideas and progress in the determination of stellar ages.

Program outline

Age-dating methods:
- Isochrone fitting
- Asteroseismology
- Gyrochronology
- Chemical clocks
- Stellar activity
- Nucleocosmochronology
Ages of the oldest stars: metal-poor field stars, globular clusters, eclipsing binaries
Timing the Universe
Age as a driver of Milky Way evolution
Age as a driver of galaxies evolution
Interpreting age distributions in the era of Big Surveys
The role of ages in exoplanet and stellar astrophysics
Preparing for the next generation of facilities: HRMOS, ANDES, PLATO, WST, HAYDN

Call for participation

Abstract submission is closed

Abstract deadline was October 01
Decisions on abstracts will be notified on October 31

Registration fee information

The registration fee for this conference is 350 eur.

The registration fee includes:

- organised bus transportation (reserve seat in advance)
- one reception buffet
- one coffee break with pastries a day
- use of the Centro de Ciencias facilities
- technical assistance and secretarial support

*Cancellation Policy*
A 30 euro charge will be applied for cancellations made up to 10 days before the conference start date.
A no refund policy will be applied to cancellations made after this date.

Bus transportation

The center provides free buses:
From Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 686, Metro: L3 Palau Reial at 15:00h (Note that the bus stops opposite University of Barcelona, Facultat de Física i Química)

From Barcelona airport ('El Prat', Terminal T2A: on leaving exit, turn left and you will find a police building called 'Mossos d'Esquadra'.
Cross the road using the zebra crossing and turn left. The bus will stop there) at 15:30h.

Return buses:
From Benasque to Barcelona airport and then university, departure at 9:00h.
The trip by bus to Barcelona takes 4-5h. approximately. The trip by car only takes 3h 30m.

Bus trajectories and dates:
- Barcelona-Benasque, Feb 07.
- Benasque-Barcelona, Feb 13.