IAU Symposia

IAUS 396: Massive Galaxies Across the Universe

Start date/time

May 25, 2025

End date/time

June 30, 2025

Place

Naples,
Italy

Abstract

The most massive (log(M/Msun>11)) and oldest galaxies account for more than half of the total stellar mass in the local Universe. Their formation and evolution still represent an open, contentious question in present-day astrophysics and cosmology. Recent observations have revealed the presence of massive quiescent galaxies even in the first cosmic epochs (out to z>4), representing a challenge for galaxy formation models: it is unclear how they became so massive over such short timescales, how their stellar metallicity grew so fast to solar or supersolar values and, finally, what quenched these objects so quickly and efficiently. The main aim of this symposium is twofold: first, to review results from the latest observations of massive quiescent galaxies in the Universe, from high-z to z~0; then critically analyse to what extent state-of-the-art theoretical models of galaxy formation and evolution can reproduce observations. The symposium will take place at a strategic time for triggering and planning possible proposals for key observations at major observational facilities.