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                      First  Announcement
                       IAU SYMPOSIUM 209
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                         Planetary Nebulae:
            Their Evolution and Role in the Universe

            November 19-23, 2001, Canberra, Australia

    Pre-Register NOW at: http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~pn_symp
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Dear Colleagues,

We are very pleased to announce IAU Symposium 209,
"Planetary Nebulae: Their Evolution and Role in the Universe"
to be held at Canberra, Australia in November 19-23, 2001.

Following the previous IAU symposia on Planetary Nebulae (PN),
in Czechoslovakia (1967), USA (1976), UK (1982), Mexico (1987),
Austria (1992) and The Netherlands (1996), the 2001 PN symposium
will be held in Australia's capital Canberra.  Research on PN
has undergone a renaissance in recent years. Observations from
space (IUE, IRAS, ROSAT, HST, ISO, etc.) have revealed these objects
to be more complex and physically interesting than had previously been
suspected. Since the last symposium, infrared spectroscopic
observations by ISO have identified new molecular and solid state
species with significant implications on our understanding of the
fields of interstellar chemistry and grain formation mechanisms.
High resolution optical observations with the HST have revealed
many new kinds of structures and jets. By the date of the
symposium, new data from FUSE and AXAF will have become available
to shed new light on the nature of such structures.

The conference will cover the following major topics:
-	PN surveys and their distribution in the galaxies
-	PN in the scheme of stellar evolution
-	Central stars and their atmospheres
-	Nebular Properties of PN
-	PN as galaxy probes

This email has been widely distributed, but please make sure your 
colleagues are aware of IAU Symposium 209.

The conference will be held in the Dome of the Academy of
Sciences, surrounded by gardens, adjacent to the ANU campus, and
overlooking Lake Burley Griffin in the heart of Australia's "bush
capital" (see http://www.act.gov.au).

Early summer is very pleasant in Canberra (15-28 C) and it is
an excellent time to get a flavor of this spacious planned city
and visit its many interesting institutions.
The traditional symposium dinner and the always successful
Australian wine-tasting evening will be organized, as well as a
tour of Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

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At this time you are invited to pre-register on our web page:
http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/~pn_symp
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The deadline for pre-registration is March 1, 2001 and the deadline
for application for (very limited !) travel support is May 1, 2001.

The list of invited speakers, contributed talks etc. will be
finalized following the deadline for pre-registration.


                With best regards,
                Sun Kwok and Mike Dopita (Co-chairs, SOC)

....on behalf of the Scientific Organizing Committee:

A. Acker (France), M. Arnaboldi (Italy), B. Balick (U.S.A.), M.
Barlow (U.K.), M. Dopita (Australia, co-chair), S. Deguchi (Japan),
G. Jacoby (U.S.A.), S. Kwok (Canada, co-chair), W.J. Maciel
(Brazil), A. Manchado (Spain), M. Perinotto (Italy), S.R. Pottasch
(The Netherlands), D. Schoenberner (Germany), Y. Terzian (U.S.A.),
S. Torres-Peimbert (Mexico), R. Tylenda (Poland), P.R. Wood
(Australia)

....and the Local Organising Committee:

M. Dopita, M. Sevenster, C. Jackson,
P. McGregor, R. Sutherland & P. Wood ( all at RSAA)