Planetary science is a powerful tool for science education and for STEAM more broadly. Its multidisciplinary nature, combined with the fascination of exploring other worlds, makes it an exceptional framework for teaching a wide range of scientific and non-scientific concepts, as well as transferable skills.

As research generates increasingly rich knowledge of our Solar System and beyond, and as technologies reshape learning environments and approaches, educators and researchers are adopting and developing innovative tools to enhance structured learning across school, university, and informal contexts.

This session focuses on emerging approaches in STEAM education that use planetary science as a framework, including: AI-based educational assistants and intelligent tutoring systems; interactive simulations, digital twins, and immersive environments; the development and dissemination of Open Educational Resources (OER) and digital platforms; scalable educational models and innovative initiatives; and methodologies for evaluation, assessment, and measurable educational impact.

Unlike broader science communication discussions, this session emphasizes curriculum integration, pedagogical design, and evidence-based evaluation of learning outcomes. We particularly welcome contributions presenting implemented tools, research studies, platform development, and assessment frameworks.

By bringing together planetary scientists, educators, technologists, and other professionals, this session aims to explore how planetary science can serve not only as a subject of study, but as a transformative tool for teaching and learning in innovative, rigorous, and engaging ways.

Exploring our most contemporary scientific insights and collective cultural resources, what diverse types of life forms and ecosystems may, or may have emerged on diverse planets across spacetime? What biochemistry and ecological conditions? What types of Solar-planetary relations to allow the emergence of life, its developmental potentials and durations ; possible species, interspecies relationships….

You are here welcome and invited to explore the vast resources of science, science fiction and cultural postulates, as well as to propose your own potentialities. This is an open creative session that invites stretching and synergizing our scientific, ~ astrophysical, bio-geo-socio-cultural insights and creative ideas. How might this type of thinking lead to new discourses in planetary missions, investigations and planning for future research? It is specifically addressed to the wider community and as a forum for scientifically stretching our creative thinking. We also invite contributions regarding how our leading edges of astrobiological and planetary research are transforming our own sociocultural landscapes. The very key role of astronomy arts in inspiring the public to embrace the original NASA lunar program missions, as we embark on Artemis and next phases of lunar missions, is noteworthy regarding its role in society’s embrace of the space exploration pursuit.

The needs and practice of science communication have shifted profoundly over the past decade, driven by the rapid expansion of social media, the evolving role of traditional communication channels, and, more recently, the emergence of generative AI. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted significant weaknesses in how science is communicated, particularly within an increasingly complex and “polluted” information environment. These challenges underscored the importance of helping audiences navigate toward reliable, evidence-based knowledge and of fostering participatory, rather than purely top-down, forms of engagement.

Although these issues may appear less immediate within planetary science, they remain highly relevant. Research in planetary exploration, astrobiology, exoplanets, and Earth’s climate history often captures broad public attention, yet scientific findings can be easily misinterpreted or distorted within the modern information ecosystem. Strengthening engagement with planetary science is therefore vital — not only to share the sense of curiosity and wonder that motivates scientific discovery, but also to support science literacy, critical thinking, and a broader understanding of the scientific method.

This perspective is particularly fitting as we mark the 30th anniversary of Carl Sagan’s passing. Sagan’s legacy reminds us that effective science communication is not merely about transmitting facts, but about cultivating curiosity, skepticism, and a deeper appreciation of our place in the universe. Inspired by this tradition, we invite contributions that reflect on contemporary challenges and opportunities in science communication.

Rather than separating discussions into isolated themes — such as communication on social media, the role of long-form media, the use of AI tools, citizen science, or strategies for countering misinformation — this session encourages a broader exchange of ideas. We welcome participants to share activities, insights, and experiences addressing the central question of how diverse communication approaches can work in synergy to effectively convey scientific knowledge, inspire public interest, and strengthen meaningful engagement with science in the years ahead.

Come join us in this session to discuss both astronomy-inspired art, and astronomy communication and outreach inspired by art.This session will explore the intersectionality of Art and (planetary) Science from both directions.

Not limited to any rules, interrogating us about our own nature, providing emotional and intellectual insights, impacting the masses and challenging the status quo, Art is the universal language of the people.
On the other hand, defined by clear rules and laws, invariable across time and space, described by ideas, concepts and mathematics more than words, Science is the universal language of our world and universe.

The scope is broad. For instance:
Artists are invited to display their science-inspired or science-driven projects and art pieces, and explain their creative process: why did they choose a specific approach, a specific media, or a specific way to represent a concept.
Scientists are invited to present data visualisation or sonification techniques - projects where art has been generated directly by the science and its components, either by design or by a happy accident.
Science communicators and educators are invited to showcase how they use art to impact various publics, and to inspire the next generation of scientists.

From painting to sculpture, from infographics and video content to generative AI, from video games to music, from photos to comics, all arts and media are welcome to this session.

Solar eclipses are among the most awe-inspiring celestial phenomena. Their rarity, predictability and dramatic visual impact make them exceptional opportunities to engage the general public with both the wonders of the cosmos and the scientific process trying to make sense of the Universe we live in. The awe of a total eclipse can be transformational for many people experiencing the event, driving curiosity towards STEM topics along with a sense of sharing, reflection, and a prosocial attitude. Besides, the buzz of a total eclipse can be leveraged to extend the engagement into areas where the eclipse is only partial too, making the number of people covered much much bigger.

This session aims at collecting experiences from past solar eclipses, especially the one that will cross parts of Europe on 12 August 2026, showcasing outreach activities, educational resources, communication strategies, and evaluation outcomes. We encourage participants to share best practices, challenges encountered and lessons learnt for future efforts. The discussion will also serve as a forward-looking platform to coordinate continental-scale outreach in preparation for the total solar eclipse that will cross Europe, Africa, and Asia next year, on 2 August 2027. By fostering collaboration among educators, researchers, science communicators and institutions, we seek to maximize the scientific, educational and societal impact of these extraordinary celestial events.

Documents from international organizations like the IAU, EAS, UN, and EU, address light pollution and radio frequency interference in broad terms. They focus on general environmental effects or the protection of the night sky and radio spectrum. These guidelines are often designed for large facilities in remote areas. They rarely apply to smaller optical and radio telescopes in semi-urban locations. Local observatories face immediate threats from nearby streetlights and local telecommunication antennas. Global satellite constellations present an entirely different problem that is become an urgent issue to address at several levels.

This session will develop practical guidance to protect observatories from intrusive lighting and radio interference. We invite speakers to share legal precedents and practical experiences from their facilities. We welcome presentations detailing local or national legal protections, designated dark sky or radio quiet zones, and the exact restrictions enforced by authorities. Case studies covering the treatment of zoning violations or negotiations with commercial satellite and telecom operators are highly encouraged.

This collection of case studies is the first step toward building a shared resource. It outlines concrete measures for safeguarding observatories from light pollution and radio spectrum interference. This information will support facilities currently negotiating with local authorities or commercial operators.

The benefits of diversity and inclusiveness in the scientific community are incontrovertible. Following the success of previous years, this session aims to foster debate within the planetary sciences community about the reasons behind the under-representation of different groups (gender, cultural, ethnic origin, national, and ableism) and best practices to make the research environment more inclusive identifying and addressing barriers to equality.

We invite abstracts focusing on under-representation (gender, cultural, ethnic origin, national, and ableism) supported by statistics and data; outreach and education activities to reach broad and diverse audiences, best practices to support inclusiveness; and case studies on mentoring and bias-concerned activities.

Every modern scientist will, at one time or another, face the challenge of growing a community around their project, and give it an identity easily recognisable by the said-community. Whether a small research group or an international organisation, building proactive community may be the key to unlocking greater collaboration and scientific achievement.

In this session, we will explore key tools for community-building. We welcome contributions from all occupations and backgrounds in planetary science. Early-career scientists are especially encouraged to attend - the sooner we learn these skills, the more time we have to use them.

What should you expect from this session? And how can you contribute?

- Building identity: branding, visual identity (e.g., logo, motto, etc.) online, as well as at events and in the media: how do you make your brand recognisable?
- Social media presence, exchange tools and websites: how do you grow your online community?
- Community-building tips and tricks: what works and what doesn't?
- Networking and lobbying for your community: how can you find key stakeholders to support your project?
- Diversity and inclusion: how do we ensure our projects benefit from diverse participation, while circumventing inter-cultural tensions?
- Involving the public in research: how can your community-building effort can benefit from Citizen Science and Pro-Amateur collaborations?

Amateur astronomy has evolved dramatically over recent years. A motivated amateur, with his/her backyard instrument and available software is nowadays capable of getting high-resolution planetary images in different wavelengths (better than many professional observatories could achieve 20 years ago). Topics well covered by amateur astronomers include: high-resolution imaging of solar system planets, high-precision photometry of stellar occultations by minor objects and giant planets' atmospheres, satellites' mutual phenomena and high-precision photometry of exoplanet transits. Additionally amateurs use dedicated all-sky cameras or radio-antennae to provide continuous meteor-detection coverage of the sky near their location and they start to contribute to spectroscopic studies of solar system objects.

Hundreds of regular observers are sharing their work providing very valuable data to professional astronomers. This is very valuable at a time when professional astronomers face increasing competition accessing observational resources. Additionally, networks of amateur observers can react at very short notice when triggered by a new event occurring on a solar system object requiring observations, or can contribute to a global observation campaign along with professional telescopes.

Moreover, some experienced amateur astronomers use advanced methods for analysing their data meeting the requirements of professional researchers, thereby facilitating regular and close collaboration with professionals. Often this leads to publication of results in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Examples include planetary meteorology of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune or Venus; meteoroid or bolide impacts on Jupiter; asteroid studies, cometary or exoplanet research.

Space missions also sollicitate amateur astronomers support. For example, to understand the atmospheric dynamics of the planet at the time of Juno flybys, NASA collaborates with amateur astronomers observing the Giant Planet. It showcases an exciting opportunity for amateurs to provide an unique dataset that is used to plan the high-resolution observations from JunoCam and that advances our knowledge of the Giant planet Jupiter. Contribution of amateurs range from their own images to Junocam images processing and support on selecting by vote the feature to be observed during the flybys. Other probes like Ariel or Lucy sollicitate amateur astronomers observation to support exoplanets and small bodies science.

This session will showcase results from amateur astronomers, working either by themselves or in collaboration with members of the professional community. In addition, members from both communities will be invited to share their experiences of pro-am partnerships and offer suggestions on how these should evolve in the future.

Access to planetary science education and research remains uneven across regions and socioeconomic contexts. In many parts of the world, talented students face structural barriers that limit their opportunities to engage with scientific careers, despite strong motivation and potential. Over recent years, a wide range of initiatives have emerged to address these challenges through school outreach, mentoring programs, research internships, training networks, and community-based projects. These efforts aim to introduce planetary science at early stages, support students through key academic transitions, and provide practical research experience and professional guidance. Such programs play a crucial role in fostering diversity, strengthening local scientific capacity, and building sustainable research communities. Many of these initiatives operate in close collaboration with universities, research institutes, and international networks, creating bridges between education, research, and society. By combining scientific expertise with local engagement, they contribute not only to individual career development but also to long-term institutional growth and regional empowerment.


This session will showcase experiences and results from programs and organizations working to build inclusive pathways into planetary science, particularly in underrepresented groups or regions. Contributions may include outreach projects, mentorship and internship schemes, capacity-building initiatives, community partnerships, and evaluations of long-term impact. In addition, participants will be invited to share lessons learned, discuss common challenges, and explore opportunities for collaboration. The session aims to serve as a platform for connecting initiatives, exchanging best practices, and fostering new partnerships that strengthen the global planetary science community.