Sharjah: The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) hosted critical sessions on the second day of the Arab-German Conference on Science and Humanities, held in collaboration with the University of Sharjah and the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA).

According to Emirates News Agency, the event, themed “Cosmic Cooperation Under the Sharjah Astronomical Dome,” gathered researchers and academics to explore groundbreaking topics in space and astronomy. It welcomed notable guests, including Prof. Esameldin Agamy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, and Sybille Pfaff, Consul General of Germany in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

Sessions at SAASST opened with a specialised scientific session on space and astronomy, chaired by Dr. Lina Maria Mller and Prof. Mohammad Al-Wuhaib, both alumni of AGYA. Professor Mashhoor Al-Wardat, an astrophysicist at the University of Sharjah and the academy’s Director of Academic Affairs, offered a critical review of the observational foundations of heliocentrism and the evidence used by Copernicus. He was followed by Prof. Hans Christian von Herrmann of the Technical University of Berlin, who discussed experiencing the cosmos inside a planetarium dome.

The programme also featured the unveiling of the Ionospheric Butterfly, an interactive artwork created through a collaboration between SAASST and AGYA. Produced by Berlin-based artist Felix Kiessling with assistance from the academy’s Space Weather and Ionosphere Lab, the installation converts real-time space weather data into shifting colors and light.

Guests gathered inside the Sharjah Planetarium for Journey Through the Universe, a narrated exploration of stars, asteroids, and ancient sky legends that blended scientific insight with storytelling. The conference concluded with awards for the winners of the student competition Next-Generation Innovators, along with recognition for the participants who helped organise the event. The evening ended with a stargazing session that brought attendees closer to distant celestial objects and offered a blend of science, creativity, and cultural discovery.