The aim of the IOAA-Juniors is to introduce early high school students to the marvels of the Cosmos and promote their knowledge in the area of Astronomy and Astrophysics. By participating in such international events, they have the opportunity to meet students with the same interests from all over the world.

It is the second time that Greece hosts an International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (after the first one back to 2013 when we organized the 7^th IOAA) but it is the first time that such an important scientific and cultural event for Junior astronomers will take place in the Prefecture of Thessaly and especially in Volos, the homeland of Centaurus Chiron, the teacher of Hercules and Achilles.

The involved institutions (Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, University of Thessaly, and Society of Astronomy and Space in Volos) cordially welcome you. We are looking forward to offer you our hospitality in Greece, the land that gave birth to the science of Astronomy, while the forefathers of Astronomy (Thales, Pythagoras, Democritus, Eudoxus, Heraclides, Aristarchus, Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, Ptolemy, Hypatia and others) cultivated, advanced and spread the beauty and mysteries of the science of Astronomy up to the far reaches of the then known world.

Loukas Zachilas – LOC Chairman

Konstantinos Gourgouliatos – SOC Chairman