Scientific rationale

Looking at the Universe at different scales is the most comprehensive way of learning about the Universe. It also serves the purpose of gathering together astronomers and astrophysicists of wide ranging interests in a single meeting. These scales offer different (but complementary) physics for discussion: from the very largest scales, the origin of the Universe (including dark energy, dark matter and exotic particles), to the sun and the solar and other planetary systems. The aim is to encompass all branches of astronomical research from the theoretical, observational, and instrumentation points of view. Learning what our colleagues are doing in other areas while going in depth in our own fields of research is the main objective of this 2004 Joint European and National Astronomy Meeting (JENAM). Furthermore, teaching and popularizing astronomy are important for the present and future of astronomy, thus there will also be a place for these activities.