The 2018 Star Clusters’ Symposium hosted by the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory was held in Urumqi during 1-7 July, 2018. More than 30 experts and graduate students participated in the meeting from National Astronomical Observatory, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Yunnan Astronomical Observatory, Taiwan “National Central” University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China West Normal University and other astronomical organizations.

With the data release of the second phase of the Gaia Space Telescope (GAIA), there will be new understandings on the star clusters. The central theme of the symposium was on researches of star clusters and the related eclipse stars, variable stars and fixed stars based on the data of the LAMOST and Gaia. A total of 18 reports were given, which comprehensive introduced the status of the observational and theoretical researches in the star clusters. The researchers of the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory made 5 reports on their respective research fields, which introduced the series of research works carried out in recent years using the Nanshan 1 meter telescope.

The fellows visited the Nanshan observatory and some of the experts went to Kashi to investigate the optical site selection.

This symposium strengthened the exchange of academic achievements, and deepened the participants’ understanding on the research work in the related fields of Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory which enhanced the possibility to  cooperate in the future. In addition, the symposium lays a good foundation for scientific cooperation between the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory and the Taiwan “National Central” University, and prepares for the implementation of Bright Stars Exoplanet Survey by Transits (BEST) project of Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory.