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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  • Euclid space mission
    Press release
    The Euclid telescope takes off to explore the dark universe
    The Euclid mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) will be launched into space tomorrow, 1st July to make the largest and most precise 3D map of the Universe. Spain has an important role in this project, where it is part of the the Consortium which has driven the mission since its origin. Spain has also participated significantly in the instrument design of the project, and will contribute to its scientific use. The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has collaborated in the design, construction and testing of the control electronics for one of the on-board instruments. It also
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  • Image of the Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888), a ring nebula associated with a galactic Wolf-Rayet star, in which significant temperature variations have been observed in the gas it contains. Credit: Daniel López / IAC
    Research news
    Temperature inhomogeneities cause the abundance discrepancy in H II regions
    H II regions are ionized nebulae associated with the formation of massive stars. They exhibit a wealth of emission lines in their spectra that form the basis for estimation of chemical composition. The amount of heavy chemical elements is essential to the understanding of important phenomena such as nucleosynthesis, star formation and chemical evolution of galaxies. For over 80 years, however, a discrepancy exists of a factor of around two between heavy-element abundances (the so-called metallicity) derived from the two main kinds of emission lines that can be measured in nebular spectra
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  • Estrellas supergigantes azules en h y X Persei
    Press release
    Blue Supergiants observed in detail
    Researchers at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the University of La Laguna (ULL), publish today in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics the first results of a detailed study of nearly a thousand blue supergiants in the Milky Way. This is the biggest sample of stars of this type which has been studied until now. The study has used over 15 years of high quality observations taken mainly with the NOT and Mercator telescopes at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in La Palma. The analysis of these data will allow researchers to improve their knowledge of the evolution of
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  • HD 192575
    Press release
    Massive pulsating star provides clues to calibrate stellar evolution models
    An international collaboration, with the participation of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), determines with an unprecedented level of precision the mass, age and rotation profile of the core of a massive pulsating star. Known as HD 192575, it has been observed by the NASA space telescope TESS continuously for more than a year. The results shed new light on how such stars are internally structured and how they evolve until their death, when they explode as supernovae and form neutron stars and black holes. The scientific team has also used observations made with the Mercator
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  • Sálvora Island
    Press release
    The effects of light pollution on astronomy are increasing
    The Director of the Starlight Foundation, and researcher at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias Antonia M. Varela Pérez has contributed to a monographic edition of the prestigious journal Science dedicated to light pollution and its consequences. The starry sky has been a source of inspiration throughout human history. Astronomy has been a common element in all cultures and civilizations, and has been used to establish calendars, to navigate and discover new lands, and to drive many scientific and technical advances. The article “The increasing effects of light pollution on professional
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  • SALSA Galaxy Mosaic
    Press release
    Astronomers study the magnetic chaos of galaxies in the nearby Universe
    International research, with the participation of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), reveals that perturbations in the magnetic fields of galaxies may be related to star formation. The study has mapped the magnetic fields of about fifteen galaxies in the vicinity of the Milky Way. The data were obtained with the HAWC+ instrument on board SOFIA, an airborne infrared telescope on a Boeing 747 that was operational until September 2022. The results are published in The Astrophysical Journal. For decades, astronomers have studied the forces that govern the interior of galaxies -
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