The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is actively participating in the observation of object 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1 ATLAS), initially included as A11pl3Z in the confirmed list of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) of the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Centre (IAU/MPC). The object, which has been shown to be the third interstellar object detected in our solar system, was discovered by one of the telescopes in the ATLAS network for the detection and early warning of asteroids on an Earth-impact trajectory. The IAC is part of this network with its new telescope structure, ATLAS

IAC researcher David Aguado has obtained a prestigious Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC), aimed at promoting promising young scientists. This is the third ERC grant -one of the most competitive and recognized of the Horizon Europe program- that the center has received so far this year, thus consolidating its international projection. These highly competitive grants provide up to €1.5 million over five years to support outstanding young scientists in establishing their own independent research groups and pursuing pioneering scientific ideas. Searching for the first stars

From March 9–12, 2026, the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies – HITS hosted the Second Annual Meeting of the EDUCADO Doctoral Network (MSCA DN), a network coordinated and led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. This pivotal gathering marks a significant milestone in the project’s timeline, bringing together international research groups from across the consortium. The meeting featured the 11 Doctoral Candidates as the central focus, providing them with a platform to present their research progress in applying AI to galaxy evolution and astronomical big data. A highlight of