Chandra's Dynamic Universe

Chandra's Dynamic Universe 2026, hosted by the Chandra X-ray Center at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, is a scientific symposium and workshop exploring the rapid transformation in time domain and multi-messenger astrophysics (TDAMM). The event will highlight Chandra's unique science capabilities, including unprecedented angular and spectral resolutions, which have driven breakthroughs in time domain astronomy and are poised for future discoveries. Specific topics include investigating supernova explosions and their remnants, characterizing X-ray counterparts to gravitational wave merger events, identifying new Galactic and extragalactic transients, discerning the structure of relativistic jets, uncovering stellar populations, monitoring stellar variability, studying end points of stellar evolution, detecting X-rays from tidal disruption events, and enabling studies of accretion in extreme regimes. The workshop will emphasize Chandra's critical role in joint investigations with current and upcoming multi-wavelength and multi-messenger astronomical facilities and explore ways to best serve the evolving interests of the TDAMM community, including target-of-opportunity (TOO) programs. The symposium will also showcase Chandra's most impactful scientific contributions across core science areas such as black hole accretion, neutron star physics, supernova remnant evolution, and galaxy cluster physics. It will situate Chandra's contributions within the broader multi-messenger landscape, examining its role in X-ray follow-up observations of gravitational wave events, gamma-ray burst afterglows, and fast radio burst host galaxies. Beyond its legacy, the event will look ahead to future X-ray astronomy missions, discussing how Chandra's ongoing science is relevant to NASA's Decadal Survey recommendations and ESA's ATHENA project.