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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  • Errant intermediate-mass black holes
    Press release
    The possible detection of elusive intermediate mass black holes
    A research team at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has observed an unusual type of emission in a sample of local galaxies which could indicate the presence of accretion discs around intermediate mass black holes (IMBH). The discovery would multiply by five the numer of known IMBH and opens a new way to detect and study this mysterious class of astronomica objects. Although only a few are known, via indirect evidence, the IMBH are a key to understand the formation of supermassive black holes and the galaxies which harbour them. The IMBH is a type of black hole whose mass is
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  • Visit of Minister of Science and Innovation Diana Morant
    Press release
    The Minister of Science, Diana Morant, visits the scientific installations at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory
    After presiding over the ceremony of recognition for the scientific community involved in the management of the crisis caused by the volcanic eruption on La Palma, the minister wanted to demonstrate her backing of science and research by visiting the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) and the Cherenkov telescopes, MAGIC and the LST. Last Sunday December 18th, after the ceremony in Santa Cruz de La Palma in which the Ministry of Science and Innovation paid tribute to the scientific community on the anniversary of the eruption of the volcaon on La Palma, the Minister, Diana Morant, went up to the
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  • The tholos of Cerro de la Barca. Credit: Daniel Padrón (sky-live.tv)
    Press release
    The autumnal equinox from the Dolmen of Magacela
    Next Friday, September 23nd, at 01:04 UT the Earth will be at a specific point in its orbit round the Sun: the September equinox. The September and March equinoxes are the only days in the year when the Sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west, across the whole planet. In practical terms the days at both the vernal and the autumnal equinoxes are divided equally into daytime and night-time, with each lasting approximately 12 hours. In fact the literal meaning of the word equinox, is “equal night” and comes from the latin word aequinoctium. Live from the Dolmen of Magacela
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  • AMANAR en el Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos
    Photomontage
    The activities of the proyect “Amanar: under the same sky” return to the Canaries
    Saharaui children from the programme “Holidays in Peace 2022” and their hosting families enjoyed the astronomical outreach activities and visited the Museum of Science and the Cosmos and the IAC Headquarters in Tenerife. On September 2nd the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the Canary Association for Friendship with the Sahraui People (ACAPS), in collaboration with the Museum of Science and the Cosmos (MCC, Museums of Tenerife), organized a day of outreach activities for the Saharaui children and for their host families in Tenerife, in the programme “Holidays in Peace”. The
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  • Binary milisecond pulsar
    Press release
    New source of lithium production found in the Universe
    A team of researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), the University of Manchester and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have detected an anomalously high lithium abundance in the atmosphere of the companion star of a binary millisecond pulsar. The lithium abundance is higher compared to stars with the same effective temperature and high-metallicity stars and so the study provides unambiguous evidence for fresh lithium production. Lithium is a fragile element and in stars similar to the Sun it is gradually destroyed in the interiors via low-temperature
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  • Photomontage
    The University of Warwick organized a working session to visit its scientific installations at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM)
    The visit has generated new ideas in common, and has opened the way for collaboration on new international projects, especially, in the field of space domain awareness. Last Thursday, 8th September, a delegation of scientists and upper management from the University of Warwick, together with representatives from the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAAC) visited the scientific instruments which the University has installed at the ORM (La Palma). The group went to the Visitors’ Centre of the ORM, and attended a technical session in it auditórium
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