Christchurch, New Zealand has won a bid to host astronomers from around the globe for the Extreme Solar Systems V conference in 2024.
Over 500 international members of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), who focus on the study of exoplanets outside of our solar system, will gather for five days in March 2024 at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre.
The event was secured with the support of ChristchurchNZ and Tourism New Zealand. It will include a field trip to the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and one of only eight in the world.
ChristchurchNZ’s head of business events, Megan Crum, said that this prestigious international conference will have an expected economic impact of NZ$1.1 million (US$712,541) for the region. The event will also bring opportunities to New Zealand’s growing space sector.
“It boosts Christchurch’s reputation as a knowledge and experience hub and will leave a lasting legacy for the region.”
