The International Conference "Asteroids 2001: from Piazzi to the 3rd Millennium" will be held in Palermo from 11 to 16 June 2001, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Piazzi's discovery of 1 Ceres from the tower of Palermo Observatory on January 1st 1801. It aims to present the current understanding of asteroids science. The main topics will concern the main belt asteroids with single sessions devoted to the interrelationship with Kuiper Belt and Near-Earth Objects.

Organized by:
Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo
Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche e Astronomiche dell'Universita' di Palermo
Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia dell'Universita' di Catania
Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino

Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC):
M. A. Barucci (France), R. Binzel (USA, Co-Chairman), C. Blanco (Italy), A. Carusi (Italy), C. Chapman (USA), B. Clark (USA), P. Farinella (in memoriam), S. Isobe (Japan), D. Lazzaro (Brazil), D. Lupishko(Ukraine), B. Marsden (USA), A. Milani (Italy), K. Muinonen Finland), G. Neukum (Germany), V. A. Shor (Russia), D. Yeomans(USA), V. Zappala' (Italy, Co-Chairman)

Local Organizing Commitee (LOC):
C. Blanco (Co-Chairman), R. Candia, I. Chinnici, L. Daricello, M. Di Martino (Co-Chairman), G. Fodera', A. Harris, G. Inzerillo, G. Liggio, D. Randazzo, D.Recupero, L.Santagati, S. Serio (Co-Chairman), G. Vitale


The Scientific Organizing Committee has proposed the following tentative programme:
1. History
2. Ground-based observations: techniques and reports of results
3. Space-based observations
4. Composition and physical structure
5. Asteroid families and collisional processes
6. Interrelationships with inner SS objects: NEOs, Meteorites, Meteor streams
7. Interrelationships with outer SS objects: Trojans, Centaurs, Edgeworth-Kuiper objects, Comets
8. Dynamical structure
9. Inventory, origin, evolution, etc.

This program will develop through the presentation of invited, contributed and poster papers to be published in different books or journals. In addition, the Conference Asteroids 2001 will bring together authors for the Space Science Series book.

"Asteroids III", that will be published by the University of Arizona Press. Further details and separate invitations for input and contributions to the book are forthcoming.

Registration fee:

A registration fee of Lit. 650.000 (approx. 340 EU), students Lit. 250.000 (approx. 130 EU) will be charged to early participants. The amount includes a copy of the book "Asteroids III", a welcoming reception, a half-day excursion (inclusive of dinner), the closing dinner and other events.

Grants and exemption from the registration fee depend on the availability of funds. Instructions on how to pay the registration fee prior to the Conference (normally by credit card) will be given in the second announcement.

Location:

The Conference will take place at the Hotel Zagarella & Sea Palace in Santa Flavia, a small sea-side resort town about 25 km east of Palermo. We have booked a block of single and double rooms at this hotel at a reduced rate. Prices per night inclusive of breakfast, will be Lit. 120.000 in single room, Lit. 160.000 in double room for single occupancy and Lit. 105.000 per person in double room. For half board accommodation a supplement of Lit. 40.000 per person must be added.

Additional information:

Further information on the social programme and instructions for registration and logistics will be supplied in the second announcement, due around January 2001. It will include more details of the scientific programme and invited speakers. Hotel and registration forms will also be distributed with the second announcement, as well as being available through the web at

http://www.astropa.unipa.it/Asteroids2001/index1.html


As the web site will be regularly updated, we suggest that you visit it frequently.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Palermo.

Carlo Blanco
Mario Di Martino
Salvatore Serio

- on behalf of the Local Organizing Committee


Scientific Organizing Committee Contact address:

Carlo Blanco, Luigia Santagati
Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia dell'Universita' di Catania
Via S. Sofia, 78
95125 Catania Italy
Tel.: 095 73 32 245/269 ; Fax: 095 33 05 92
e-mail: CBLANCO@alpha4.ct.astro.it, gsantagati@alpha4.ct.astro.it

Local Organizing Committee Contact address:

Donata Randazzo, Laura Daricello
Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo
Piazza del Parlamento 1
I-90134 Palermo, Italy
Tel.: 091 233 243 / 247; Fax: 091 233 444
e-mail: ceres2001@oapa.astropa.unipa.it