Researchers and students from Armagh Observatory and Planetarium showcased work on asteroids, comets, meteors and science communication at one of the world’s leading meetings on the Solar System’s smaller bodies.
The Armagh team took part in the 15th Asteroids Comets Meteors conference, held in the Polish city of Poznań from 6 to 10 July 2026. The event is held every three years and brought together more than 600 participants from 48 countries.
Four presentations from Armagh
Four presentations by AOP staff and students reflected the range of Solar System research being carried out at Armagh. The topics included asteroid composition, the long-term breakup of a comet, the history of collisions in the asteroid belt and the future of public science communication.
Emily Frank presented research into how polarised sunlight reflected from asteroids can help scientists understand what the objects are made of. The work could ultimately contribute to efforts to defend Earth against objects on a collision course with the planet.
AOP staff astronomer Tolis Christou used orbital-dynamics models to connect groups of meteors observed by amateur and professional astronomers with the continuing disintegration of a comet nucleus over thousands of years.
Andrew Marshall-Lee presented artificial-intelligence techniques that reconstruct the history of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The research looks back across a billion years of collisions involving asteroids hundreds of kilometres in size.
Fragments from those collisions can eventually reach Earth as meteorites. The source cited the 1969 Bovedy fall as an example.
Rok Nežič focused on science communication, examining future opportunities and challenges in sharing scientific knowledge. His presentation drew on AOP’s combination of public education and outreach with scientific research.
International meeting for Solar System scientists
The conference focuses on asteroids, comets and dust. Its programme also featured displays including an “Asteroid Car” from Kleť Observatory and a model of the asteroid Bennu, giving delegates a practical focus alongside the scientific presentations.
For Armagh residents, the conference provided an international platform for work spanning frontline research and public engagement. The presentations also highlighted how observations made by professional scientists and amateurs can contribute to understanding objects that have travelled through the Solar System for millions or billions of years.