AAS Meeting 247 in Phoenix to host PhysPAG brainstorming on 2030s astrophysics

The 247th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society will be held 4–8 January 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Phoenix Convention Center. The meeting is joint with the Historical Astronomy Division and will feature sessions across NASA astrophysics programs. The Physics of the Cosmos Program Analysis Group (PhysPAG) will hold a community brainstorming session titled “Physics of Cosmos in the 2030s and Beyond: Science, Missions, and Innovations Shaping the Future of NASA Astrophysics.” The joint PAG meeting will include updates from the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), Time Domain and Multi‑Messenger Astrophysics (TDAMM), and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) SIGs, and a discussion involving Shawn Domagal‑Goldman (director of NASA Astrophysics) and the PAG Executive Committee chairs.

On Sunday, 4 January, PhysPAG convenes 9:00am–1:00pm in room 126C with introductory remarks by Brian Humensky and Francesca Civano and breakout brainstorming on science topics (Cosmic Structure, X‑Ray, Gamma Ray, Gravitational Waves, CMB) led by named moderators. A technology discussion follows with breakout groups on topics including lunar tech, mirrors, detectors, industry partnerships, and software.

The Joint PAG session meets 2:30pm–6:00pm in room 301D and features SIG updates and a 4:30pm–6:00pm Q&A panel with Shawn Domagal‑Goldman, Shouleh Nikzad, Dave Pooley, and Ian Crossfield.

Key Topics

Science, Physpag, Habitable Worlds Observatory, Shawn Domagal-goldman, Artificial Intelligence, Phoenix Arizona