TEHRAN — Iranian students came in first by winning 9 gold and silver medals at the 2018 International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), Fars news agency reported on Tuesday.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, an official with the Ministry of Education, explained that 9 Iranian students in two teams vied against their contestants and managed to win 6 gold medals and 3 silver medals. 

Teams from Russia and China ranked second and third respectively, she added. 

IOAA is an annual astronomy and astrophysics competition for high school students. It is one of the international science Olympiads.

IOAA 2018 was held in Beijing, China from November 2-11, 2018. 

The first IOAA was held in the city of Chiang Mai, Thailand, from November 30 to December 9 of 2007. 

The third IOAA was held in 2009, October 17 to 27, in Tehran. The observational exam was held in the desert, in the Caravanserai of Deh Namak, Semnan Province. 20 countries participated the competition including the first time participation for Kazakhstan and Serbia.

According to its official website the main goal of IOAA is to promote the growing interest in Astronomy and related subjects, especially through the general education of young people, and enhancing the development of international contacts among different countries in promoting Astronomy and Astrophysics in schools. It is expected through the event like IOAA more bright high school students will be eager to study astronomy at the university level to become the next generation astronomers.

MQ/MG