A study published today in Nature Astronomy , in which a researcher from the IAC has participated, outlines the discovery of an extremely rare type of binary system composed of two high mass white dwarfs. The two stars are so close together that they will eventually collide resulting in a supernova explosion which, due to its proximity to the Earth, will appear ten times brighter than the Moon. Type 1a supernovae are a class of cosmic explosion often used as "standard candles" to measure the expansion of the Universe. They occur when a white dwarf exceeds the Chandrasekhar mass - the limit

From Thursday, May 8th, to Friday, May 9th, the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC) is hosting the meeting of the Research Advisory Committee (CAI). This is the center's highest advisory body on research and analyzes its scientific and technological output. At this meeting, the director, Valentín Martínez Pillet, will present the center's main scientific and technological milestones, as well as a proposal for future lines of action. The director will also be joined by Eva Villaver, deputy director of the IAC; Romano Corradi, director of Gran Telescopio Canarias; Jonay González

An international scientific team, including members of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), has launched an ambitious program to map exoplanets located around the Neptunian Desert —a region around stars where planets the size of Neptune are very rare— in order to better understand the mechanisms of planetary system evolution and formation. This scientific expedition has delivered its first results with the observation of the TOI-421 planetary system. Analysis of this system reveals a surprisingly inclined orbital architecture, offering new insights into the chaotic history of