Journal profile · ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICSCOMPUTER SCIENCE,-COMPUTER SCIENCE, INTERDISCIPLINARY APPLICATIONS
Astronomy and Computing
ISSN 2213-1337 · eISSN 2213-1345 · Elsevier BV · NETHERLANDS
Astronomy and Computing: CAS Zone 4 · Physics & Astronomy (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.58; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,260; review about 104 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 107 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Astronomy and Computing is published by Elsevier BV and is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Astronomy and Astrophysical Research, Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena and Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies, together about 33.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Astronomy and Astrophysics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Astronomy and Computing is a peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the broad area between astronomy, computer science, software development and information technology. The journal aims to publish the work of scientists and (software) engineers in all aspects of astronomical computing, including the collection, analysis, reduction, visualisation, preservation and dissemination of data, and the development of astronomical software and simulations. The journal covers applications of computer science techniques to astronomy, as well as novel applications of information technologies within astronomy.The journal is open to a broad range of contributions about the use of computing in astronomy. It encourages unsolicited submissions of regular scientific articles, of manuscripts on new software releases and data releases of astronomical surveys, and of "reports on practice" which describe the outcomes (positive and negative) of the practical application of informatics techniques within astronomy research and operations. Authors wishing instead to submit review articles, white papers and target articles, as well as ideas for special issues of the journal are expected to first contact members of the Editorial Board.Submissions are expected to cover research topics dealing with computer applications dedicated to astronomy and astrophysics. E.g. manuscripts describing purely computer science or engineering research, or theoretical manuscripts with no connection to computational astrophysics will not be considered for publication.In general, manuscripts should make a valuable contribution to the field and should display an appropriate familiarity with previous work in the area and alternative approaches to the same problem. Providing a sustainable link to data or source code is strongly encouraged (and is required in the case of manuscripts on data or software releases, respectively). All manuscripts are subject to peer-review. The journal welcomes contributions on a variety of topics including: Astroinformatics and analyticsAstrophysical simulationsAstrostatistics and machine learningComputational infrastructureData analysis and statisticsData curation and preservationData management, archives, and virtual observatoryData miningData processing pipelines and automated systemsGeneral computational techniques used for astronomyScientific software engineeringSemanticsVisualization
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICSCOMPUTER SCIENCE,-COMPUTER SCIENCE, INTERDISCIPLINARY APPLICATIONS
Editor-in-chief Fabio PasianPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 7%); most named United States 7, Italy 5, Australia 5, Mainland China 2, United Kingdom 2 (29 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Astronomy and Astrophysical ResearchPhysics and Astronomy13.5%
- Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, PhenomenaPhysics and Astronomy11.3%
- Stellar, planetary, and galactic studiesPhysics and Astronomy8.6%
- Radio Astronomy Observations and TechnologyPhysics and Astronomy7.1%
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovaePhysics and Astronomy6.4%
- Astronomical Observations and InstrumentationEngineering6%
- Astrophysics and Cosmic PhenomenaPhysics and Astronomy5.4%
- Cosmology and Gravitation TheoriesPhysics and Astronomy4.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Physics & Astronomy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.58LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.5LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 4.5Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.6LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.86LetPub ·
- h-index
- 18LetPub ·
- h-index
- 47OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 275OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.38OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 24.14%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 94LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 922 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 126 | 88 | 38 |
| 2025 | 107 | 54 | 211 |
| 2024 | 105 | 50 | 555 |
| 2023 | 75 | 31 | 435 |
| 2022 | 73 | 48 | 600 |
| 2021 | 62 | 42 | 766 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
104 dayssubmission to acceptance
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 53 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 104 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 2,260 / EUR 2,110 / GBP 1,810 / JPY 280,310 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 2,780 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare7 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Templates
- LaTeX and Word
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Highlights
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted5
- data release paperData Release Paper: the data need to be appropriately described, formatted using community standards and made available from a stable URL in a public repositoryLength not stated
- full length articleFull Length ArticleLength not stated
- note on practiceNote on Practice, that focus on the lessons learned in the course of an astronomical computing projectLength not stated
- reviewThe journal will publish papers covering all aspects of astronomical computing that make a valuable contribution to the field and that display an appropriate fa…Length not stated
- software release paperSoftware Release Paper: the software needs to be appropriately described, professionally packaged and documented including the source code, made available from …Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 2213-1337
- Electronic ISSN
- 2213-1345
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Astronomy and Computing
What CAS zone is Astronomy and Computing in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Astronomy and Computing is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Astronomy & Astrophysics / Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Physics & Astronomy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Astronomy and Computing?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.58; CiteScore 4.5, h-index 47.
How long does peer review take at Astronomy and Computing?
The publisher reports about 104 days (submission to acceptance). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Astronomy and Computing?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Author–date; Templates: LaTeX and Word; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Highlights: Optional; Graphical abstract: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Astronomy and Computing based?
Of the 29 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 7%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (7), Italy (5) and Australia (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Astronomy and Computing?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Astronomy and Computing is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Astronomy and Computing open access, and what is the APC?
Astronomy and Computing is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,260.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .