Meeting Venue

The South West and Central Asian (SWCA) 4th Regional Astronomical Workshop (4RAW) will be held in the Main Building of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO). Please, find the guiding map of the Observatory under the following link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1i_J-3TCEEYGiU0XEufTGm0wVOLnUb_hI&ll=40.33073221341067%2C44.26907124999999&z=17.

Airport Transfer

Upon arrival, our driver will meet you at the Yerevan Zvartnots airport and transfer you to your hotel. Please look for a sign with a “9BISS/4RAW” note. If you still haven't sent me a copy of your electronic ticket, please do so to ensure we have complete information about your arrival. In case of EMERGENCY, you may contact Gor Mikayelyan (+37455-515001) and Hayk Abrahamyan (+37494-377550). We recommend arriving a day before the event begins.

BAO Guest House

There are limited rooms at the BAO Guest House. To book a room, please contact us as soon as possible. The rates are as follows:

Transfer from Yerevan to Byurakan during 4RAW

If you’re staying in Yerevan, the Observatory bus will transport you to BAO from the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. Please check the conference program for transfer times.

Information for speakers

-- We will provide a computer with Windows, Microsoft Office, and Acrobat Reader. Please bring your own laptop for any additional needs.

-- Invited talks should not exceed 30 minutes (including questions). Contributed talks should not be longer than 20 minutes (including questions) and poster oral presentations should be no longer than 5 minutes (no questions).

-- To save time, please send us your presentation to the following E-mails: 4raw@bao.am, abrahamyanhayk@gmail.com (Hayk Abrahamyan), gor.mikayelyan87@gmail.com (Gor Mikayelyan). Alternatively, you can give it to us on a memory stick 2 hours before your presentation, so that we test it on our equipment to avoid possible problems. Online speakers are requested to send us their video recordings or PowerPoint presentations.

Dining

Meals will be provided at the Observatory Canteen. Please inform us of any dietary requirements or allergies in advance. Meal costs are as follows:

Breakfast: 1,500 AMD
Lunch: 2,500 AMD
Dinner: 2,000 AMD

Banquet

The Conference Dinner (Banquet) will be organized at "Ojakh" restaurant, located in Byurakan village. The cost of the banquet per person is 16,000 AMD.

Excursions

We plan to have one day excursions to Ejmiatzin/Zvartnots and Garni/Geghard. The excursion will cost 10,000 AMD per person. Also, we will have every day excursions in the BAO.

Time zone

Armenia is in the UTC+4:00 time zone. Please note the time difference with Central European Time: +2 hours during summer and +3 hours during winter.

Climate

Armenia is mostly a sunny country with hot summers and cold winters. The climate ranges from dry subtropical to cold weather. The average temperature in the hottest months (July and August) is +36°C (max) and +17°C (min), while in the coldest month (January) it’s -2°C (max) and -9°C (min). During the 4RAW, we expect pleasant days. The average daytime temperature will fluctuate between +22 and +26°C, and the nighttime temperature from +11 to +15°C. You may anticipate dry (an average 45% humidity is expected) and warm weather. Rare light rains may be expected. Please bring light jackets for evenings, as the daily temperature amplitude is large.

Local Currency

The local currency is Armenian Dram (AMD). All payments (hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops, transport, etc.) are accepted only in AMD. Paper notes are issued in denominations of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 AMD. Coins are used for amounts less than 1,000 AMD (10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500). Check the exchange rates at: https://www.rate.am/en/armenian-dram-exchange-rates/banks.

You may easily change EUR, USD, GBP, RUB, and other international currencies to Armenian Drams in any bank or exchange office. ATM machines in Yerevan function in accordance with the Plus Global Access Network, Visa, and MasterCard systems. There is also an ATM machine in Byurakan, approximately 1.5 km away from the Observatory to the uphill direction (Byurakan Municipality building).

Public transport

You can get to the city of Yerevan from Byurakan by public transport (400 AMD) at fixed hours. The last bus from Byurakan departs at 18:30. If needed, we can order you a taxi to the center of Yerevan for approximately 6000 AMD. Be sure to verify the fare with the driver before starting your journey.

Electric plugs

Electric plugs in Armenia are like European ones (with two round pins). Both thin (Southern Europe) and thick (Northern Europe) ones are in use. Standard voltage in Armenia is 220V (AC) and the frequency is 50Hz.