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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  • Research news
    Photonic integrated circuits for astronomy: A formal description of an integrated photonics-based wavefront sensor (IP-WFS)
    Solar wavefront sensing has been a challenge for astrophysical instrumentalists, due to the low contrast between the Sun and the sky background compared to night-time observations, which limits the performance of adaptive optics systems. Wavefront correction in solar physics requires the analysis of extended images; meanwhile, at night the displacement of a punctual object is analysed. This technique limits the spatial resolution, and therefore the accuracy in the wavefront reconstruction. To solve this problem, a new method of direct wavefront sensing without the need for image formation
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  • Artist’s impression of the interaction between the star (GJ 436) and the exoplanet (GJ 436 b)
    Press release
    A study reveals the strongest evidence to date of a magnetic field on an exoplanet
    The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is taking part in an international study, published in the journal "Science", which provides the first conclusive evidence of a planet’s influence on the behaviour of its star. The results have made it possible to detect and estimate the strength of the magnetic field of the exoplanet GJ 436 b, opening up a new avenue for studying the habitability of planets outside the Solar System. Magnetic fields play a fundamental role in the habitability of planets. On Earth, the magnetic field acts as a shield against the solar wind and contributes to the
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  • Nucleus od M74
    Research news
    A nuclear star cluster as the fossil record of the very early stages of a star forming galaxy
    Nuclear star clusters are dense and compact stellar systems, with sizes of a few parsecs, found at the centers of many galaxies. Their formation is thought to be closely connected to the assembly history of their host galaxies, and astronomers think that these clusters contain important clues about how galaxies formed and evolved over cosmic time. Recent studies suggest that different formation pathways may operate in late- and early-type galaxies, but the dominant mechanisms and their dependence on galaxy morphology remain unclear. While most observational studies have focused on early-type
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  • Illustration of the ‘cosmic time capsule’ NGC 1277
    Press release
    The Gran Telescopio Canarias finds the "fossil fingerprint" of the Universe's first stars in a neighboring galaxy
    Clues to the first stars may be hiding much closer to home than expected. An international team led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has detected potential chemical traces of the very first stars in the Universe within a neighboring galaxy. The setting for this discovery is NGC 1277, a well-known "relic" galaxy. While normal galaxies grow and transform by merging with others throughout their history, this compact system formed most of its stars very quickly in the early Universe and became frozen in time. Acting as a cosmic time capsule, this galaxy is perfect for
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  • Dark galaxies in the Local Group
    Press release
    Galaxies that don’t shine: simulations predict a hidden population in the nearby universe
    The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the University of La Laguna are leading an international study on dark galaxies. ULL PhD student Guacimara García Bethencourt, together with her thesis supervisors Arianna Di Cintio and Sébastien Comerón, both lecturers in the Department of Astrophysics at the ULL and researchers at the IAC, presents a pioneering study in Astronomy & Astrophysics on one of the most intriguing objects in modern astrophysics: dark galaxies, systems rich in gas and dark matter but incapable of forming stars, and therefore invisible to traditional telescopes
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  • Día de Nuestra de Ciencia 2026
    Press release
    El IAC celebra la XVII edición del “Día de Nuestra Ciencia”, un encuentro interno para compartir avances científicos y tecnológicos
    El Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias reúne a su personal investigador y técnico para presentar los resultados más destacados del último año y abordar los retos científicos de la próxima década El Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) ha celebrado hoy la XVII edición del “Día de Nuestra Ciencia”, un encuentro anual de carácter interno que ha reunido a personal investigador, técnico y de apoyo a la investigación en la sede de IACTEC, en La Laguna. La jornada se ha consolidado como un espacio para compartir los avances científicos y tecnológicos más relevantes desarrollados en el último
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