European star 'roadmap' project started

POITIERS, France, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- A British astronomer has been selected to lead a Pan-European project in developing a "roadmap to the stars."

Michael Bode, a professor of astrophysics at Liverpool John Moores University, said the "roadmap" will act as the blue print for the development of astronomy in Europe during the next 20 years, detailing the infrastructure needed to deliver European astronomy's science vision'

That vision is being drafted this week during a conference in Poitiers, France, organized by Astronet, a consortium of 11 European Science Agencies.

Big questions remain in our understanding of the universe and Astronet has divided the challenges into four scientific areas:

-- Do we understand the extremes of the universe?

-- How do galaxies form and evolve?

-- How do stars and planets form?

-- How do we fit in?

Since answering those questions will require development of existing infrastructure as well as European wide investment in new facilities, Astronet has assigned Bode and his team of astronomers the task of considering various possible facilities.

The project, said Astronet, is designed to consolidate and reinforce the highly competitive position that European astronomy has attained at the beginning of the 21st century.