BRICS Astronomy Virtual Observatory Training Workshop
BRICS Astronomy remains committed to equipping researchers with the skills needed to fully utilise available astronomical resources. As part of the 11th Annual BRICS Astronomy Working Group (BAWG) Workshop, BRICS Astronomy hosted its first VO training session. The primary objective of the workshop was to introduce participants to AI methodologies and demonstrate their integration within virtual observatory platforms to enhance astronomical research. The training aimed to show how artificial intelligence can be combined with VO systems to automate data processing, identify patterns, and uncover new celestial phenomena more efficiently.
The workshop covered a range of foundational and practical topics, including:
- Introduction to Virtual Observatories (VOs)
- China-VO and AI for Astronomy Development in China
- Demonstration: Accessing VO tools such as ESO’s Archive, Gaia DR3, and NASA’s SkyView
- Exercise: Querying datasets (e.g., SDSS, Gaia) using Python and TOPCAT
- Two hands-on sessions: Virtual Observatory Tools
The anticipated outcomes of the workshop included:
- Hands-on experience with VO tools and AI pipelines.
- A starter kit of code and notebooks to support participants’ research.
- Opportunities for networking with AI and astronomy experts.
The team consisted of the following:
- Priya Hasan – Maulana Azad National Urdu University, India
- S N Hasan – Maulana Azad National Urdu University, India
- Shanshan Li – National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, China
- Alessandro Ederoclite – Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón in Teruel, Spain
- Rafael Santos – Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais ( INPE), Brazil
