News

This section includes scientific and technological news from the IAC and its Observatories, as well as press releases on scientific and technological results, astronomical events, educational projects, outreach activities and institutional events.

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  • Validación Principio de Equivalencia - Cúmulo de estrellas
    IAC scientists obtain one of the most general validations of Einstein’s Principle of Equivalence
    The study shows the potential of major astronomical observatories to test the laws of physics and to show their universal character. The results are published in The Astrophysical Journal The General Theory of Relativity is one of the basic pillars of modern physics. One of the bases which support Einstein`s theory is the Principle of Equivalence. Using this principle one can infer that light which escapes from a region with a strong gravitational field loses energy as it travels, so that its wavelength shifts to the red. This phenomenon is known as the gravitational redshift, and measuring
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  • Rafael Rebolo - Signature of the agreement with AEMET
    Photomontage
    The IAC and the AEMET sign a collaboration agreement
    The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the National Meteorological Agency (AEMET) have stengthened their commitment to collaborate by adpoting measures which allow them to share installations, services, and data from their observatories. The agreement also contains clauses oriented to the ecological transition, energy use optimizaiton, the reduction of light pollution and assurance of the environmental quality of Izaña. The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the National Meteorological Agency (AEMET) which depends on the Ministry for Ecological Transition and
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  • The left panel shows the young stellar population (YSP) distribution overlaid with contours showing the advancing side (blue) and receding side (red) of the outflow. The right panel shows the same but with contours of W80 (i.e. the width of the 5007 [OIII] line).
    Research news
    Evidence of the impact of quasar driven outflows on recent star formation
    We present the results of our spatially resolved investigation into the interplay between the ages of the stellar populations and the kinematics of the warm ionised outflows in the well-studied type II quasar Markarian 34. Utilising integral field spectroscopic (IFS) data, we determine the spatial distribution of the young stellar population (YSP; age < 100 Myr) using spectral synthesis modelling. We also employ the 5007 [OIII] emission line as a tracer of the warm ionised gas kinematics. We demonstrate a spatial correlation between the outer edges of the advancing side of the outflow and an
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  • Press release
    The exhibition “AstrónomAs” which gives visibility to women in Astronomy has arrrived in Tenerife
    It can be visited in the Museum of Science and the Cosmos until 22nd May. Next Wednesday, April 6th, there will be an inauguration ceremony with the women researchers at the IAC Elena Khomenko and Adriana de Lorenzo-Cáceres, with a talk and a concert by Paula Espinoza, a student of Astrophysics and finalist in the televisión programme “La Voz”. In addition Paula is the author of the sound track of the exhibition. “AstronomAs” is an exhibition in two formats, physical and digita, whose aim is to show the role of women in astronomy, and to stimulate scientific and technological vocations. It
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  • Vista del consejero Valbuena
    Photomontage
    The IAC presents its plan to reduce its carbon footprint by 80% to the Department of Ecological Transition
    On Tuesday Jose Antonio Valbuena visited the installations of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) in La Laguna and the Teide Observatory The Councillor for the Ecological Transition, the fight against Climate Change, and Territorial Planning of the Government of the Canaries, José Antonio Valbuena had a working meeting on Tuesday with the Director and the Deputy Director of the IAC, Rafael Rebolo and Casiana Muñoz Tuñón, and the person in charge of the Environmental Commission of the IAC, Antonio Mampaso, to learn about the Institute’s sustainability plan, whose aim is to reduce
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  • Vyacheslav (Slava) Lukin
    Interview
    VYACHESLAV LUKIN: “Solar observations without theoretical and computational models are like a car without wheels”
    Disclaimer footnote: Any opinion, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the US National Science Foundation. Vyacheslav (Slava) Lukin is a Program Director in the National Science Foundation (NFS) Division of Physics with responsibility for the program in Plasma Physics. In his own research, he focuses on understanding “magnetic reconnection”, a compex physical phenomenon which causes the aurora borealis, solar flares, coronal mass ejections and gamma ray bursts. This is a process which
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