1st Doha International Astronomy Conference Kicks Off

Doha, February 10 (QNA) - The activities of the 1st Doha International Astronomy Conference started today at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), under the theme "Gravitational Microlensing, 101 Years from Theory to Practice". The Research Coordination Director at Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) Dr. Khalid Al-Subai, said that 80 scientists, from different parts of the world, are participating in conference, in addition to 150 scientists and astronomy interested scholars from Qatar. He said in remarks that the keynote to the four-day conference which will be delivered by Professor Lord Martin Rees, will focus on the planets of our galaxy and pose the question: is there life on any of them? Dr. Khalid Al-Subai pointed that his paper he presented by today at the opening session of the conference, dealt with the achievements of astronomy in Qatar and the discovery of two new planets named Qatar 2b' and Qatar 2c, as well as the future of this science and encouraging young people to research on it. President of Qatar Foundation Dr. Mohamed Fathy Saoud, said in remarks that holding a conference on Astronomy in Doha is very important, especially that a part of the Arab-Islamic heritage had seen scientists who were considered pioneers in this science at a time when the world was quite far away from science. (QNA)