CHEOPS Science Team Meeting #40

About the Meeting

The 40th CHEOPS Science Team Meeting will be held in Budapest, Hungary, from 22 to 24 September 2026. The meeting will take place in the historic Aula Magna of Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), located in the heart of Budapest's city centre and main tourist district.

CHEOPS (CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite) is the first ESA Small-class mission dedicated to characterising known exoplanets via high-precision photometry of transits and occultations.

The meeting is hosted by the ELTE Gothard Astrophysical Observatory and Multidisciplinary Research Centre, Szombathely.

Important Dates

Scientific Programme

The scientific programme will be announced in due course. Speakers are selected by the CHEOPS Science Team programme committee.

Social Events

The scientific sessions will be accompanied by a number of social activities providing further opportunities for discussion and interaction within the CHEOPS community. Activities currently under consideration include:

• Guided tour of the Hungarian Parliament Building
• Amphibious sightseeing tour of Budapest
• Other opportunities to explore the city (to be announced)

Conference dinner: Following CHEOPS STM tradition, the dinner is planned for the evening of 23 September at a distinctive venue in central Budapest. The venue is currently being selected and will be announced in due course.

In the current registration form, participants are kindly asked to indicate their interest and expected availability for the proposed activities.

Venue

The meeting will take place in the Aula Magna of Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), in the heart of Budapest's inner city, within easy reach of hotels, restaurants, and public transport connections.

The venue is located in the 5th district (Belváros), Budapest's historic inner city. A wide range of hotels and other accommodation options are available within walking distance or a short journey from the venue. Specific recommendations will be provided in a later announcement.

Getting There

By air: Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (IATA: BUD) is the main international gateway. The city centre is approximately 30–40 minutes from the airport by taxi or the Airport Shuttle (100E bus to Deák Ferenc tér).

By train: Budapest is well connected by international rail services. Keleti, Nyugati, and Déli railway stations serve routes from Vienna, Prague, and other European cities. The venue is easily reachable from all three stations by metro or tram.

By public transport in Budapest: The venue is served by metro lines M3 (Ferenciek tere) and M4 (Kálvin tér), as well as several tram and bus lines running through the inner city. Detailed transport information will be circulated with the second announcement.

Accommodation: Hotel recommendations and further logistical details will be provided in a later announcement from the Local Organising Committee. (Details to follow.)

Local Organising Committee

• Gyula M. Szabó
• András Bókon
• Izabella Krencsey-Élő

Contact

For enquiries regarding the meeting, registration, or logistics, please contact the Local Organising Committee:

Email: cheops.stm.40@gmail.com