10 Years of Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies: Past Perspectives and Future Prospects

Organizers:

A. Ferre-Mateu (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Spain), J. Gannon (Swinburne University, Australia)

Low surface brightness galaxies have been studied for decades. However, since the discovery of thousands of them in the Coma Cluster in 2015, it has become clear that at least a subset, now referred as Ultra Diffuse Galaxies, is a numerically substantial population with intriguing and so far unexplained characteristics. These previously unseen galaxies, while unexpected in modern cosmological simulations of galaxy formation, may constitute about 5% of all galaxies across all environments. Elucidating Ultra-Diffuse Galaxy properties, and the causal physical processes underlying them, is thus key to building a holistic picture of galaxy formation. In this workshop, we mark 10 years since this discovery.

We will summarise the key observational and theoretical results of the last decade (>450 papers with >11500 citations over that time). We will identify the key outstanding questions motivating their study, and then tackle the upcoming opportunities to answer these questions in the next decade. These questions, already receiving eager attention among users of the recently launched Euclid Observatory, will be extremely relevant to the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman (launching late 2026) and Vera Rubin Observatories (first data release early 2027), among many others. A key goal of this discussion will be to move our science beyond Ultra Diffuse Galaxies and to further integrate it with the transformative view into the Dwarf Galaxy regime that these next-generation observatories will provide. This timely workshop presents a significant opportunity to take stock of a decade of research and provide a roadmap for the coming decade.

This workshop is by invitation only. If you are interested in participating, please contact jgannon[at]swin.edu.au and aferre[at]iac.es

Co-chairs

- Jonah Gannon (Swinburne University of Technology)
- Anna Ferré-Mateu (Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias)

Scientific Organizing Commetee

- Jean brodie (Swinburne University of Technology)
- Shany Danieli (Tel Aviv University)
- Ariannna di Cintio (Universidad de La Laguna)
- Javier Román (Universidad Complutense Madrid)
- Pieter van Dokkum (Yale University)

Registration fee information

The registration fee for this conference is 350 eur.

Pay by bank transfer

The registration fee must be paid to the account of the Centro de Ciencias de Benasque Pedro Pascual after your application has been accepted.

Ibercaja (account number): 2085 2310 3803 3004 4193
IBAN: ES44 2085 2310 3803 3004 4193
BIC: CAZRES2Z

Remember that your registration is complete only after the payment is made.

* Please, pay after your application has been accepted.
* Please, send a confirmation by e-mail to info@benasque.org.
* Please pay all bank charges
* Include as a subject in the transfer '2025udg Your_Surname'
* In the comments section include:
      Full name of the conference and your name.

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Credit card online payments here.

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*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, Aug 17.
- Benasque-Barcelona, Aug 23.

Registration & accommodation

Application deadline is June 10

  • Application form (closed on June 10)
  • Check your registration data (for registered participants only)
  • Book and check your accommodation here (open from June 15 to July 21).

Further Information.

  • List of participants.
  • Scientific program.
  • Pictures