Do you hold a keen curiosity in astronomy and astrophysics? Then International Olympiad on Astronomy & Astrophysics (IOAA) could possibly spark your interest in astronomy and ignite your academic competitiveness.
The main goals of the IOAA (International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics) are to increase global awareness in the promotion of astronomy and astrophysics in schools and to encourage young people’s growing interest in astronomy as well as neighboring STEM fields, notably through general education.
With teams from more than fifty different countries now competing, the 16th IOAA (2023) is going to happen in Chorzów, Poland from 10th to 20th August 2023.
Stages of the IOAA Exam
The five stages of the astronomy Olympiad are as follows:
Stage I: National Standard Examination in Astronomy (NSEA)
Stage II: Indian National Astronomy Olympiad (INAO)
Stage III: Orientation cum Selection Camp (OCSC) in Astronomy
Stage IV: Pre-departure Training Camp (PDT) for IOAA
Stage V: International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA).
IOAA Exam Pattern
The IOAA test has two sections: a theoretical section and a practical one.
Long and short questions make up the theoretical part. It asks questions about fundamental astrophysics, coordinates and time, the solar system, stars, stellar systems, as well as cosmology, instrumentation, and space technologies.
The practical part consists of 2 sections which are observations and data analysis. The theoretical part of the syllabus covers the groundwork for all problems in the practical part.
IOAA Results
The IOAA results are declared on the official website following the Olympiad. Candidates can visit the IOAA’s official website https://www.ioaastrophysics.org/ to view their test results.
Also, India secured the third position with five medals in the 15th International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad (IOAA)-2022 held in Kutaisi last year.