August 17, 2026 – August 21, 2026 at the University of Cologne

save the date – more information will follow soon.

We are excited to announce a conference that will bring together the world’s top researchers in the field of massive star formation and evolution, with a focus on the latest advances in simulations and observations. This meeting will provide a unique opportunity to explore the latest discoveries and advancements in our understanding of the habitats of massive stars across cosmic time.

Conference Highlights:

• Plenary talks by leading experts in the field
• Contributed talks and posters by early-career researchers
• Science Slam
• Interactive discussions and debates on the latest research findings
• Opportunities for networking and collaboration with colleagues from around the world

soon…

The conference will take place on the campus of the University of Cologne.

Main building/ Hauptgebäude (Gebäude 100), Aula
Albertus-Magnus-Platz 1
50931 Köln

The venue can best be reached by tram No. 9 (Stop “Universität”) or by train to station “Köln Süd” (not barrier-free!!). Parking is difficult and should be arranged at your hotel.

The conference rooms can be reached barrier-free.

To plan your visit in Cologne, we recommend this page: https://www.cologne-tourism.com/arts-culture/sights

LOC
breloy[at]ph1.uni-koeln.de

SOC
walch[at]ph1.uni-koeln.de

Please note that registration is mandatory to participate in the conference.

The deadline for regular registrations is July 15, 2026.

The following services are included in the basic registration fee: 

1. Coffee breaks
2. Welcome Reception
3. Excursion
4. Conference dinner

Please indicate your participation for points 3 to 5 and add your food preferences during the registration process.

For the sake of sustainability, a printed book of abstracts will be provided upon request only. It can be ordered during the registration process and will come at a cost of 10 EUR. 

Conference Fees

	early bird	regular
Regular participants	tbd	tbd
Students	tbd	tbd
Accompanying persons	tbd	tbd
Invited Speakers, Invited Guests, and Accredited Journalists	free	free

Please note: Only credit card and payment via PayPal is possible.

• Deadline for early bird registration: tbd
• Deadline for final registration and submission of abstracts: tbd

Cancellation Policy

Your conference fee will be partially refunded (50%) if you cancel your registration or dinner ticket until July 31.

registration will open 2026

Abstract submission will be available upon registration. For abstracts it will be possible  to ask for a poster presentation or contributed talk (15 min). Decisions on the acceptance of contributed talks will be made by the scientific organizing committee. If not accepted as a contributed talk, contributions will be converted into a poster presentation. Young researchers (PhD students and postdocs) are particularly encouraged to submit contributions as talks. 

The maximum space for poster presentations is A0 portrait format (width: 841 mm, height: 1189 mm). Poster spaces will be available for accepted abstracts only. Spaces will be labeled with the session name, the name of the presenting author, and the title of the submitted abstract. 

We will soon update this page with hotels that can be booked with special conditions. The access code will be provided with your confirmation registration.