Background white papers and facilities papers – September 2024
The Decadal Plan for Astronomy 2026–2035 is currently being developed by the Australian Academy of Science’s National Committee for Astronomy.
In September 2024, the review committee invited 13 working groups to engage with their communities and submit white papers on their respective disciplines. These papers serve as a key foundation for shaping strategic priorities and informing the review process. The plan is based on the reports of working groups (listed below) comprising over 250 astronomers, engineers and educators from over 30 Australian institutions across all states and the ACT. To ensure broad representation, a demographics survey was conducted at both the individual and institutional levels. This collaborative approach reflects the diverse perspectives and expertise within the Australian astronomy community.
Background papers
- Working group 1.1: Galaxies and Cosmology (PDF, 3.5MB)
- Working group 1.2: Stars, Planets, and the Galaxy (PDF, 7MB)
- Working group 1.3: Time Domain and Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (PDF, 6.3MB)
- Working group 1.4: Theoretical Astrophysics (PDF, 130KB)
- Working group 1.5: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Astronomy (PDF, 100KB)
- Working group 2.1: International and Space Facilites (PDF, 4.2MB)
- Working group 2.2: National and University Facilites (PDF, 4.5MB)
- Working group 2.3: Data and Computing (PDF, 380KB)
- Working group 2.4: Instrumentation (PDF, 1.4MB)
- Working group 3.1: Demographics, Workforce and Society (PDF, 3.3MB)
- Working group 3.2: Outreach, Education and Training (PDF, 220KB)
- Working group 3.3: Industry and Translation (PDF, 150KB)
- Working group 3.4: Research Funding (PDF, 310KB)
- Additional paper: Astronomy and the Environment (PDF, 120KB)
