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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  • EIRIF technicians cut the brush to create an fire barrier in the close surroundings of the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma
    Photomontage
    The IAC collaborates in a simulated forest fire emergency of strategic importance for La Palma
    The teams of intervention and reinforcement for forest fires of the Government of the Canaries carried out trials at the roque de los Muchachos Observatory with participation by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias On July 11th the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory was host to a very important trial relevant to the safety of the mountain tops of the Island of La Palma with participation by the Teams of Intervention and Reinforcement against Forest Fires (EIRIF) of the Canary Government, and the collaboration of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC). The exercise centred on two
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  • 4th ESO students from the Santo Domingo de Guzmán school in La Palma during their visit to the GTC as part of the “Nuestr@s Alumn@s y el ORM” program.
    Photomontage
    The outreach programme “Our students and the ORM” celebrates its 15th birthday, praised by students and teachers.
    The outreach program "Our Students and the ORM," (“ Nuestr@s Alumn@s y el ORM”) aimed at schools in La Palma, is celebrating its 15th edition and is commemorating its 15th anniversary with unanimous recognition from its user community. This consolidated initiative of the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM) of the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC) has concluded this academic year with 100% satisfaction from the schools in La Palma that participated in this edition. This program seeks to bring font-line science and technology to the island's younger generations by involving
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  • El director del Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, durante el acto de conmemoración del 40 Aniversario / IAC
    Press release
    El IAC dedica su 40 aniversario a todas las personas que han trabajado para ‘soñar estrellas’
    El Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) ha celebrado, este jueves 24 de julio de 2025, el 40 aniversario de la inauguración oficial de su sede central y de sus dos observatorios. Un acto que ha estado centrado en destacar el trabajo de los cientos de personas que han contribuido a convertir el IAC en uno de los centros de excelencia investigadora y técnica más importantes del mundo. En el acto, el director fundador del IAC, Francisco Sánchez, ha tenido un papel fundamental pese a que sus problemas de salud no le hayan permitido participar en el mismo. El lema de este 40 aniversario ha
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  • El LST-2 completa la instalación de su estructura de soporte
    Press release
    The support structure of the LST-2 at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory is completed
    The four large sized telescopes of the CTAO on La Palma reach a key milestone in their construction The LST-2 telescope has successfully completed the installation of its camera support structure (CSS), making it the last of the four Large Sized Telescopes ( LST ) to reach this important milestone in its construction at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) on La Palma. This telescope is part of the ambitious CTAO ( Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory ) project, which will create the world's largest network of telescopes for the detection
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  • Artistic impression of a binary system similar to KIC 10001167
    Press release
    The IAC validates a method for measuring the masses of stars using their seismic waves
    An international team of astronomers, including researchers from the IAC, have performed a unique cosmic test - measuring the mass of an ancient star using two entirely different methods, finding agreement to within just 1.4%. This result marks a milestone in our ability to determine the ages of old stars and use them as living fossils to study the Milky Way’s distant past. The team analysed the red giant in the binary system KIC 10001167 using two independent approaches: firstly, by measuring the brightness and radial velocity variations due to the orbital motion of the binary, and secondly
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  • Fachada de la casa de control de MAGIC decorada con motivos inspirados en el sombrero de los Enanos, símbolo emblemático de las Fiestas Lustrales de La Palma
    Press release
    El Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos acoge el proyecto “Enano Estelar", una fusión de ciencia, arte y tradición
    La casa de control de los telescopios MAGIC , en el Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM), en La Palma, luce desde hoy una nueva imagen, la del “Enano Estelar”, en homenaje a una de las figuras más queridas de las Fiestas Lustrales de la Bajada de la Virgen de las Nieves . La intervención artística, promovida por la colaboración científica MAGIC, ha sido presentada en un acto institucional que ha reunido a autoridades locales, representantes del mundo científico y medios de comunicación. La transformación del edificio —cuya singular cubierta, obra del arquitecto José Luis Porta
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