The 2026 J-PAS XXII Collaboration Meeting was held in Shanghai from October 19 to 23, 2026. Organized by the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SHAO, CAS) and co-organized by the Shanghai Astronomy Museum (a branch of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum), the meeting marked the first time that the annual J-PAS Collaboration Meeting was hosted in China. Researchers from Spain, Brazil, Japan, China, and othe​r countries participated in the meeting both in person and online. Chinese participants represented a wide range of institutions, including the National Astronomical Observatories, Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Normal University, University of Science and Technology of China, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Xiamen University, and Yunnan University. More than 80 people attended the conference in total.

On October 8, 2026, Prof. Naomi McClure-Griffiths, Chief Scientist of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), visited the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. During the visit, Prof. McClure-Griffiths exchanged views with SHAO researchers engaged in Square Kilometre Array (SKA)-related work, learning about the research progress and observation preparations of the observatory's teams and delivering a special academic lecture. The visit deepened the SHAO teams' understanding of SKA science planning and construction progress, and provided a useful reference for refining science cases and preparing for observation and data analysis.

Recently, a research team from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has made progress in the study of lunar-based very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) for sub-microarcsecond black hole shadow imaging. The related results have been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The study focuses on the detectability of black hole shadow candidates observable by lunar-based VLBI and the constraints of lunar-based telescopes.

On September 6–7, 2026, Professor Jessica Dempsey, the newly appointed Director-General of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), led a delegation to visit Shanghai. Earlier on September 4, Vice Minister Zhang Guangjun of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) met with Professor Dempsey and her delegation in Beijing, where they held in-depth exchanges on SKA progress and important issues concerning SKAO's development. This was Professor Dempsey's first visit to China since assuming the role of SKAO Director-General on June 1, 2026. The delegation also included Dr. Filippo Zerbi, Chair of the SKAO Council; Dr. Simon Berry, Deputy Director-General and Head of the Director-General's Office; and Mr. Wang Qiming, Policy Advisor. The visit aimed to deepen strategic cooperation between the SKAO and the Chinese astronomical community and to advance China's continued leading role in SKA construction, operations, and international governance.

The universe has been having fewer and fewer stellar “babies.” Over the past 4.5 billion years, the rate of star birth has crashed to less than half of what it once was. But here’s the twist: the most essential “fuel” for making stars has barely decreased.