IAU Working Group: Virtual Astronomy and Data Centres

A Working Group has been formed in Commission B2 of the International Astronomical Union.

https://www.iau.org/science/scientific_bodies/commissions/B2/

Working Group Description:

This Working Group is intended to provide the liaison between the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The IVOA is an organization, composed of 21 international member initiatives, that develops and maintains the technical standards needed to find, access, interoperate and re-use astronomy data (according to the FAIR principles), thus realizing the Virtual Observatory (VO). IVOA also acts as a framework for discussing and sharing VO ideas and technology, for engaging astronomy projects, missions and researchers, and as a body for promoting and publicising the VO. The IVOA processes for the development of interoperability standards includes the possibility for IAU endorsement. Since its beginnings in 2002 the VO is now a mature framework for the interoperability of astronomy data, with IVOA compliant services operated by astronomy data centers worldwide. This working group will provide a communication channel between the IVOA and the IAU on topics of FAIR-compliant standards, use of the VO for scientific research, and for promoting best practices for interoperability of data and services in Astronomy.