Conference: Galaxy Nuclei – November 16-20, 2026 ESO Santiago, Chile
Rainer Schödel
Galaxy Nuclei – Diversity, Dynamics, and Hidden Mass in Galactic Centers
November 16-20, 2026
ESO Santiago, Chile
Dear colleagues,
We are happy to announce the ESO workshop “NUCLEI 2026”, which will be held at ESO in Santiago, Chile.
Rationale:
The nuclear regions of galaxies display a rich structural and dynamical diversity, including nuclear star clusters (NSCs), intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), and supermassive black holes (SMBHs) spanning a wide range of accretion states. Many SMBHs reside in galaxies without strong ongoing accretion, particularly at lower masses. Observations have revealed that some ultra-compact dwarfs (UCDs) are likely the stripped remnants of more massive galaxies, retaining massive central black holes while having lost their outer stellar envelopes. These findings suggest that a significant population of black holes may be hidden in systems that no longer resemble their original hosts. Furthermore, dynamical measurements in compact, low-luminosity galaxies have extended black hole mass estimates into previously inaccessible regimes, helping to populate the lower end of the mass spectrum.
These developments raise several pressing questions: Under what conditions do NSCs and black holes co-exist or compete? How does AGN activity influence the creation or survival of an NSC? What determines whether a galaxy retains or forms a central black hole? How common are IMBHs in dwarf galaxies and compact stellar systems? How do current constraints on IMBHs constrain black hole seed formation mechanisms? How many SMBHs remain hidden in stripped galactic cores or displaced from their original centers? To address these questions, we would like to focus this workshop mostly on quiescent and non-accreting galactic nuclei. These systems are essential for understanding the full range of nuclear evolutionary pathways, complementary to studies of accreting AGNs.
The workshop will therefore provide a timely forum to assess recent progress, present first results from new facilities, and discuss how the scientific focus of this field will develop in the coming decades.
Main Topics:
- Intermediate-Mass Black Holes (IMBHs)
- Nuclear Star Clusters (NSCs)
- Stripped Galactic Nuclei and Ultra-Compact Dwarfs (UCDs)
- Observational Pathways to Black Holes in Quiescent and Active Nuclei
- Looking Ahead: The Next Decades of Galaxy Nuclei Science
We invite you to join us for this exciting workshop at ESO in Santiago, Chile.
Registration & abstract submission will be opened on May 4th, 2026.
Website: https://www.eso.org/sci/meetings/2026/NUCLEI_2026.html
Email: NUCLE...@eso.org
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Rainer Schoedel
IAA Vice DIrector for Science, Group Leader "Galactic Center", Training Coordinator
Radioastronomía y Estructura Galáctica. Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía.
CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTÍFICAS
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