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22nd International EISCAT Symposium 2025
and
49th Annual European Meeting on Atmospheric Studies by Optical Methods

18th – 22nd August 2025
Kiruna, Sweden

The 22nd International EISCAT Symposium will be held together with the 49th Annual European Meeting on Atmospheric Studies by Optical Methods (49AM) and hosted jointly by EISCAT AB and the Swedish Institute for Space Physics (IRF) at the Space Campus, Kiruna, Sweden, 18th – 22nd August 2025.

Timetable: The meeting will start on Monday at 10.00 and end on Friday at 15.00. See Preliminary Schedule.

Radar School: the International EISCAT Radar School will be held at Kilpisjärvi Biological Station in the week prior to the Symposium, organised by Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory (with EISCAT AB).

Important Deadlines

  • Abstract Submission: 1st June 2025
  • Registration: 1st June 2025 (registration to open in early May!)

Science Programme Committee: Jörg Gumbel, Stockholm University; Anita Aikio, University of Oulu, Hiroatsu Sato, DLR; Ilkka Virtanen, University of Oulu; Thomas Ulich, EISCAT AB

Local Organising Committee: Thomas Ulich, EISCAT AB, chair

This page will be updated as new information becomes available.

>> Critical Information <<

It was just announced that the main church will be moved to its new location in the new centre of Kiruna during the symposium (19/20 Aug)! Consequently, many hotels are now sold out with spectators, film crews, media, and others, and obviously the same is happening with flights and trains. – Book your trip now! If you cannot find accommodation, monitor the situation, there obviously will also be cancellations etc.

Hotels in Kiruna

Due to high demand for hotels in Kiruna, we recommend to book your accommodation (and flights) as soon as possible.

We plan to provide a shuttle bus service from hotels to the Space Campus and back (included in registration fee). Here are some hotel suggestions:

Getting There

Critical Information – The Kiruna church is moving, see above! – Book your trip now!

Kiruna by Air: You can fly directly to Kiruna Airport (KIR/ESNQ). Other airports in the region are Evenes Harstad Narvik Airport (EVE/ENEV) and Tromsø (TOS/ENTC) in Norway, from where you can travel by bus and/or train to Kiruna. See, e.g., Flybussen Evenes.

Kiruna by Train: you can reach Kiruna, e.g., by night train from Stockholm, or by train from Narvik, Norway. Please refer to the Swedish Railways for more information.

From Kilpisjärvi: If you participate in the International EISCAT Radar School in Kilpisjärvi, we will take you from Kilpisjärvi to Kiruna. Please contact us directly to discuss the related practicalities. Please also mention it on your registration form for the radar school.

Kiruna

Kiruna is the northernmost city in Sweden with a population of about 17,000. It is the seat of Kiruna Municipality in Norrbotten County. The city was originally built in the 1890s to serve the Kiruna Mine.

Due to the LKAB mine extending its operation under the old centre of Kiruna, large chunks of the town are being relocated, and historic buildings are moved to new places, including the Kiruna church. The church will move during the symposium leading to shortages in accommodation and flights! Please book your trip now or monitor the situation often to benefit from cancellations.

Notable space science entities in Kiruna are the Esrange Space Centre and rocket range, the Swedish Institute for Space Physics, Luleå University of Technology‘s Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, as well as EISCAT AB (formerly EISCAT Scientific Association).

Timezone: Local time in Sweden and Norway is Central European Time (CET=UTC+1h), and at the time of the Symposium it will be Central European Summer Time (CEST=UTC+2h). Note especially, that Finland‘s timezone is Eastern European (Summer) Time (EET/EEST=UTC+2h/+3h). Take it into account if you attend the radar school!

The Symposium will take place in late summer, just at the end of the Polar Day when the White Nights of the Arctic Summer come to an end. Unfortunately, the nights will only just be dark enough to see the aurora in the middle of the local night, unless there’s an exceptionally bright display. The Sun ideally needs to be 10° below the horizon for good observations.

           |        | Sun    | Twilgt | Sun    | Sun    | Twilgt
Date       | Darkst | Elev   |  Civil | Rise   | Set    | Nautl 
-----------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
2025-08-17 | 00:42  |  -8.7° | 02:41  | 04:08  | 21:14  | 22:38  | 
2025-08-18 | 00:42  |  -9.1° | 02:47  | 04:12  | 21:09  | 22:32  | 
2025-08-19 | 00:42  |  -9.4° | 02:54  | 04:16  | 21:05  | 22:25  | 
2025-08-20 | 00:42  |  -9.7° | 03:00  | 04:20  | 21:00  | 22:19  | 
2025-08-21 | 00:42  | -10.0° | 03:05  | 04:24  | 20:56  | 22:13  | 
2025-08-22 | 00:41  | -10.4° | 03:11  | 04:28  | 20:51  | 22:07  | 
2025-08-23 | 00:41  | -10.7° | 03:17  | 04:32  | 20:47  | 22:01  | 
2025-08-24 | 00:41  | -11.1° | 03:22  | 04:36  | 20:43  | 21:55  | 
2025-08-25 | 00:40  | -11.4° | 03:27  | 04:40  | 20:38  | 21:49  |

The table above shows the time (CEST) when it is darkest including the Sun’s elevation below the horizon at that time. Also shown are the beginning of the civil twilight (Sun elev. -6°), sunrise, sunset, and beginning of nautical twilight (=end of civil twilight, Sun elev -6°).