The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has signed an agreement with an international consortium of institutions, including the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA) and the Centro de Astrobiología de Madrid (CSIC-INTA), for the design and construction of ANDES, the ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph. The instrument will be installed on ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). It will be used to search for signs of life in exoplanets and look for the very first stars, as well as to test variations of the fundamental constants of

An international piece of research, led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has found clues to the nature of some of the brightest and hottest stars in our Universe, called blue supergiants. Although these stars are commonly observed, their origin has been an old puzzle that has been debated for several decades. By simulating novel stellar models and analysing a large data sample in the Large Magellanic Cloud, IAC researchers have found strong evidence that most blue supergiants may have formed from the merger of two stars bound in a binary system. The study is published in the

The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the TLP Tenerife, the largest technology and new trends event in the Canary Islands, join forces to offer a unique experience that fuses science, digital culture and fun. From 3 to 8 September, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Exhibition Centre will become the perfect setting where attendees, as well as sharing hobbies and enjoying video games, esports, manga and Asian culture through music and dance, and board games, will be able to learn about the mysteries of the universe. In this edition, the IAC and TLP Tenerife have designed a series of