The Astronomy & Astrophysics Section Is Now Officially Section 19
As we mentioned in an earlier post on this blog, the CNRS section dedicated to astronomy and astrophysics has changed its official number: what used to be Section 17 is now Section 19. The transition is now fully in effect, and it comes with an update to the section’s website.
A New Section Number and a New Committee
By coincidence, this renumbering happens in the same year that a new section committee has been elected. Section committees serve for five years, and the previous committee’s mandate ended this year. The arrival of the newly elected committee therefore aligns neatly with the shift from Section 17 to Section 19.
For applicants preparing CNRS concours, this kind of administrative change can generate a moment of uncertainty, especially when looking for the right information about the committee’s expectations, its scientific scope, or the practical details that guide the recruitment process. Our goal in this short update is to clarify what has changed and, importantly, what has not.
A New Website Domain, But Not a New Website
The new official Section 19 website can be found here:
The committee opted for continuity: rather than designing a new website from scratch, they simply reused the previous Section 17 site, which already contained all the essential information, and placed it under the new domain corresponding to Section 19.
For applicants, this means a smooth transition: the structure, content, and resources remain familiar, only the section number and web address have changed.
And finally, a practical reminder: in this year’s online application form, candidates applying to the Astronomy and Astrophysics section must be sure to select Section 19.
Links:
- New Astronomy & Astrophysics section website: https://section19.obspm.fr/
- SF2A newsletter from 2 November 2025: https://sf2a.eu/website2023/message-sf2a-no-1158/
