Commission on Astrophysics

The Astrophysics Commission disseminates the latest developments in observational and theoretical astronomy to the Polish academic community – particularly within PAU Kraków. Its interests in observational astronomy span the entire spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves, infrared, and optical radiation to X-rays and gamma rays. With the development of methods for the detection of high-energy cosmic rays, and in recent years the detection of solar neutrinos and cosmic gravitational waves, these issues have been the subject of a number of the commission’s meetings and will receive due attention in the future. The commission understands theoretical astronomy to mean the application of branches of theoretical physics such as quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, relativity theory, nuclear physics, and particle physics to the description of various astrophysical phenomena – both observed and theoretically predicted. Recently, there have been appreciable advances in celestial mechanics – particularly in respect of the dynamics of the Solar System – and these findings are also of interest to the commission.
The commission gathers once every month. The intention of the meetings is to bring together the community of astronomers and physicists involved in, or at least interested in, astrophysics. The talks, lectures, and papers are usually followed by lively discussions. The papers delivered at the commission’s meetings have been appearing under the PAU publishing imprint for many years.  The commission offers its full and active support to all educational initiatives connected with astrophysics.
On the initiative of commission members, a masters-level specialisation in astrophysics was launched at the Jagiellonian University in 1997, which continues to be offered today at the same level under the title, Astrophysics and Cosmology.
Commission members take an active part in organising the astrophysics seminars that take place every Wednesday at the Jagiellonian University’s Faculty of Physics, Astronomy, and Applied Computer Science.

Commission Members