For the SEAC conference in Graz (2018) and for the Proceedings the motto Harmony and symmetry -
celestial regularities shaping human culture was chosen. There were at least two strong reasons
for this motto: First the connection between astronomy and human culture has an extremely long
tradition and one of its absolute high points is the astronomer Johannes Kepler who spent his
entire life searching for the relationship between the movement of heavenly lights and ideas
about harmonious structures and regular bodies. Kepler started his scientific career and
authored his first book the Mysterium cosmographicum in Graz. Kepler argued in his first
publication for the twelve-fold partition of the zodiac with arguments derived from the
monochord anticipating the procedure he developed in his Harmonices mundi. Five contributions
deal with Kepler including the harmony in musical theory. The second reason was the Eggenberg
Castle. This palace built for the nobleman Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg (1568-1634) is a
remarkable piece of symmetry and harmony and an outstanding example of a strong connection
between astronomy and culture. Seven contributions have the topic astronomy astrology and
architecture with the emphasis on astronomical orientation symmetry and harmony in the Middle
Ages and Renaissance. The Proceedings with ten chapters and 44 contributions range besides the
mentioned Middle Ages and beyond and Johannes Kepler from Prehistoric Times Bronze and Iron
Age Mythology and Ethnoastronomy Babylonian Astronomy Greek and Roman Astronomy Meso- and
South America Middle East and Eastern Asia and Computational Astronomy. The celestial sphere
regarded as the sky of astronomy as well as the heaven of divine numina from Antiquity to
Copernicus and Kepler was equated with symmetry harmony and beauty. Until today this has
been reflected in the structure of cultural creations from architectural objects to musical
forms.
