Giants of Eclipse will provide a forum to discuss the physics of cool giant stars, examine new data for those objects, and compare the latest theories. Studies of giants in eclipsing binaries have afforded us a means of deriving precise cool-star physics, and the role of these systems as astrophysical calibrators is central to the meeting. The minute details of the eclipses of ζ Aurigae systems and other binaries will be examined along with new results from the mysterious two-year eclipse of ε Aurigae. Some of the long-standing and challenging aspects of these systems are now being tackled with new-generation techniques, and novel technologies such as Kepler, involving young scientists.

This meeting will feature workshops for discussing the phenomena, data, instrumentation, methods, and models, and will bring together experts in spectroscopy, photometry, imaging, interferometry, spectropolarimetry, stellar magnetic activity, and evolution, including both professionals and amateur astronomers. Moreover, the application of new technologies and perspectives to this unique set of bright objects should lead to exciting advances in our understanding of the physics of cool giant stars and the evolution of stars in general.

This is the first major meeting to feature ε Aurigae since the end of its recent eclipse. That event attracted substantially more observers and more diverse telescopes, methods, and models than ever before. Giants of Eclipse will facilitate an assimilation and analysis of the data and models, and simultaneously lead the effort to identify the important observations needed to improve the theoretical models before the next eclipse occurs. Amateur observers will play an essential role in these discussions.

The future of the fascinating science of eclipsing giants is in your hands ... Come join us!

Important Dates