About 3,000 astronomers will get together in Beijing in August 2012 to attend the 28th congress of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the China Association for Science and Technology said the 28th congress will be held from August 20 to 31.

The China Astronomical Society representing China won the bid to host the congress for the first time at the 26th congress in Prague four years ago.

The 12-day Beijing congress will include eight large academic seminars, 25 small-scale symposiums, four lectures, as well as elections for the new IAU leadership.

Astronomical studies worldwide are booming, and major scientific issues, such as "dark matter" and "dark energy," possibly will fundamentally transform people's knowledge of the universe, said CAS Vice President Zhan Wenlong.

China's astronomical research has made "historical progress" in terms of observational studies, equipment and technological development, Zhan said.

Founded in 1919, the IAU promotes and safeguards astronomy through international cooperation. It has 10,077 individual members in 90 countries worldwide, 70 of which are national members.