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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  • CARMENES 2024 Scientific Meeting
    Photomontage
    CARMENES exoplanet hunter scientific meeting
    The 19th scientific meeting of CARMENES, a collaboration of more than 100 scientists from 11 Spanish and German institutions aimed at studying extrasolar planets around M-type dwarf stars, the lowest mass stars, was held this week at the IACTEC facilities in La Laguna (Tenerife, Spain). Since it became operational in 2016, CARMENES has analysed more than 360 such stars, leading to the discovery of more than 65 new planets, making it the most efficient instrument and mapper in the study of planets around very low-mass stars, with 30 % of the total number of planets discovered in this range
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  • Dark matter galaxy
    Press release
    Astronomers observe the effect of dark matter on the evolution of the galaxies
    A study led by researcher Laura Scholz, of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has found, for the first time, observational evidence that the evolution and the properties of the galaxies are conditioned not only by the mass of the stars they contain, but aso by the effect of the dark matter halos which surround them. The results are published in the specialist journal Nature Astronomy. Dark matter comprises around 85% of all the matter in the Universe. Although ordinary matter absorbs, reflects and emits light, dark matter cannot be seen directly, which makes its detection
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  • ALISIO-1 image of La Palma and El Hierro
    Press release
    First observations of the Canary Islands satellite ALISIO-1 from space
    The first satellite developed by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias,, which was launched into space last December, has sent back its first images. The quality of the observations shows the perfect performance of its DRAGO-2 infrared camera. The pointing test of its laser optical communications module has also been successfully carried out, making it the first Spanish satellite to use this technology. Today, at a press conference, the first images obtained with the ALISIO-1 satellite (Advanced Land-Imaging Satellite for Infrared Observations), an Earth observation satellite whose
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  • 2nd LIOM International Workshop
    Press release
    LIOM, the IAC's technological laboratory for finding life beyond the Solar System
    From 14 to 16 February, the second scientific meeting of the Laboratory for Innovation in Opto-Mechanics (LIOM) will be held at the IACTEC building managed by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) in the Science and Technology Park of La Laguna (Tenerife). This project is dedicated to the development of new optical and mechanical technologies that will form part of the next generation of telescopes capable of detecting biomarkers on exoplanets. One year after its creation, the IAC's Laboratory for Innovation in Opto-Mechanics (LIOM), is holding its second international meeting
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  • Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, el alcalde del Ayuntamiento de La Laguna, y Rafael Rebolo, director del IAC
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    El IAC y el Ayuntamiento de La Laguna fomentan la calidad del cielo
    El director del IAC, Rafael Rebolo; y el alcalde de La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, firman un convenio en materia de regulación lumínica y difusión de la Astronomía El director del IAC, Rafael Rebolo; y el alcalde del Ayuntamiento de La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, han firmado, este martes 6 de febrero, un convenio entre ambas entidades en materia de regulación lumínica y de difusión de la Astronomía con el objeto de contribuir a la conservación de la calidad del cielo de Tenerife. En el acto también ha estado presente el concejal de Servicios Municipales, Fran Hernández. De esta forma el
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  • Poster for the 2024 edition of "Habla con Ellas: Mujeres en Astronomía"
    Press release
    Sixth edition of "Talk to Them: Women in Astronomy" and other initiatives to celebrate the Day of Women and Girls in Science
    The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is joining in the celebrations for 11 February by taking part in more than a dozen actions aimed at promoting scientific and technological vocations among girls and young women and making the role of women in the development of science more visible. The report " Radiography of the gender gap in STEAM education" published in 2022 by the Equality Unit of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training shows that in some key disciplines for the future and, in particular, those related to Astronomy and Astrophysics, progress is not being made
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