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.

  • Image of galaxy M101 with supernova SN 2023ixf.
    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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  • H-alpha image of the partial solar eclipse of 29 March 2025
    This Saturday, 29 March 2025, the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) was able to follow the partial solar eclipse from the Teide Observatory in Tenerife. Although subtle to the naked eye, this eclipse was used by the IAC's outreach team to raise awareness of the phenomenon among a group of people from the ‘Friends of the IAC’ programme and IAC staff. At the same time, an observation was also made from the IAC Headquarters in La Laguna, which could be seen live on the centre's YouTube channel. The eclipse began at 09:14 UT and ended at 10:56 UT, with its maximum at 10:03 UT. For just
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  • Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC or Grantecan) at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma
    The Solar System research group at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is participating in the international programme to keep a closet track of asteroid 2024 YR4. The aim is to determine its orbit with the highest possible precision before it stops being observable by ground based and satellite telescopes in April, and so improving our value of the probability that it will impact the Earth in 2032. In this context several telescopes of the Canary Observatories of the IAC are playing an outstanding role in this observing campaign: The Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) at the Roque de
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  • Las doctoras Honoris Causa de la ULL en su visita al Observatorio del Teide / IAC
    El Observatorio del Teide, del Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), recibió este domingo la visitas de las recién nombradas doctoras Honoris Causa de la Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), quienes pudieron conocer de primera mano cómo se trabaja en uno de los observatorios astrofísicos más importantes del mundo. La escritora Ken Bugul, la teórica de la comunicación Amparo Moreno Sardà y la historiadora de la ciencia Londa Schiebinger estuvieron acompañadas por altos cargos de la comunidad universitaria y fueron recibidas por el administrador del Observatorio del Teide, David López Nespral
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  • Imagen de los telescopios de la red CTAO en el Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos tomada en octubre de 2024 con auroras boreales de fondo / Antonio González (Cielos de La Palma)
    On January 7, 2025, the European Commission established the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), furthering its mission to become the world’s largest and most powerful observatory for gamma-ray astronomy. The creation of the CTAO ERIC will enable the Observatory's construction to advance rapidly and provide a framework for distributing its data worldwide, significantly accelerating its progress toward scientific discovery. “The ERIC will streamline the construction and operation of the Observatory in a way that will undoubtedly
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