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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  • savita_sph_ro_galeria
    Research news
    Evolution of stellar magnetic activity: the Sun has similar magnetic activity as its pairs
    It’s been decades since the need to study other stars to understand the past, present and future of the Sun was realized. One important aspect that has been investigated is the magnetic activity of stars for which we cannot fully grasp the mechanisms involved. Indeed, the origin of stellar magnetic cycles or the dependence of the magnetic activity on the stellar properties are not completely understood. This knowledge improves not only our understanding of the physics involved in stellar evolution but also affects the study of the Sun to better predict high-energy events and the better
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  • James Webb Space Telescope image of the planetary nebula NGC 1514
    Press release
    The James Webb Space Telescope captures 'the wedding rings' of a stellar couple
    An international team, including a researcher from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), has obtained an incredible image of the planetary nebula NGC 1514 using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), revealing the nebula's spectacular dusty rings in unprecedented detail. NGC 1514 was one of the first nebulae to be studied by astronomer William Herschel, who noted that when viewed through his telescope (the biggest in the World at the time) the nebula looked like a fuzzy cloud somewhat similar in appearance to one of his other discoveries: the planet Neptune. The new images acquired
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  • Image of galaxy M101 with supernova SN 2023ixf.
    Photomontage
    The WEAVE spectrograph captures the interaction of supernova SN 2023ixf with its surroundings one year after its explosion.
    A study conducted with the new WEAVE , installed on the Telescopio William Herschel (WHT) at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma), and in whose construction the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) participated, has revealed clear signs of shock interaction in the Type II supernova SN 2023ixf. Almost a year after the explosion, the data obtained with WEAVE reveal complex emission features that provide new clues about the processes shaping the final stages of massive star evolution. SN 2023ixf, located in the nearby galaxy M101, is the closest Type II supernova
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  • Binary system with two stars about to collide
    Press release
    The IAC discovers a pair of stars condemned to explode as a supernova only 150 light years away
    A study published today in Nature Astronomy , in which a researcher from the IAC has participated, outlines the discovery of an extremely rare type of binary system composed of two high mass white dwarfs. The two stars are so close together that they will eventually collide resulting in a supernova explosion which, due to its proximity to the Earth, will appear ten times brighter than the Moon. Type 1a supernovae are a class of cosmic explosion often used as "standard candles" to measure the expansion of the Universe. They occur when a white dwarf exceeds the Chandrasekhar mass - the limit
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  • Image of an area of the Euclid Deep Field South showing several huge galactic clusters, as well as intracluster light and gravitational lensing.
    Press release
    The IAC contributes to more accurate mapping of the Universe through Euclid data
    The European Space Agency’s Euclid mission released its first batch of survey data, including a preview of its deep fields. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms in combination with citizen science campaigns, the Euclid Consortium scientific results include the discovery of strong gravitational lensing systems, the exploration of galaxy clusters and the cosmic web, the characterisation of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and quasars, studies on galaxy evolution and morphology, and the identification of numerous dwarf galaxies and transients. Spain has an important role in the Euclid
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