Galactic Oddity: Astronomers Spot Giant Planet That’s As Light as Cotton Candy
Astronomers have discovered WASP-193b, an extraordinarily light planet orbiting a distant star in our galaxy. It outstrips Jupiter in size but matches the density of…
Instituto De Astrofísica De Canarias News
The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is a prestigious research institute in Spain, dedicated to the study of astronomy and astrophysics. Founded in 1975, it is located in the Canary Islands, a location chosen for its exceptionally clear skies, which are among the best in the world for astronomical observations. The IAC operates two observatories: the Teide Observatory on Tenerife and the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma. These facilities house a variety of powerful telescopes and instruments used by researchers from around the world. The institute is renowned for its contributions to the fields of solar physics, planetary science, stellar and galactic astrophysics, and cosmology. It also plays a leading role in the development of astronomical technologies and instruments. The IAC’s commitment to outreach and education is reflected in its active public engagement and training programs for students and professionals in the field of astrophysics.
Cosmic Enigma: Astronomers Have Explained the Mystery of the Fullerenes in Space
Fullerenes are large, complex carbon molecules known for their durability. Their atoms are arranged in three-dimensional spherical structures that feature a pattern of alternating hexagons…
Cosmic Shadows: Astronomers Unveil Dark Matter’s Role in Galaxy Evolution
Dark matter constitutes approximately 85% of the universe’s total matter. Unlike ordinary matter, which interacts with light through absorption, reflection, and emission, dark matter remains…
Decoding the Secrets of Mars’ New “Trojan” Asteroid 2023FW14
Using observations made with the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) a study led from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the Universidad Complutense de…
Ghost in the Cosmos: Almost Invisible Galaxy Challenges Dark Matter Model
A group of astrophysicists led by Mireia Montes, a researcher at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), has discovered the largest and most diffuse…
Never Before Detected – Organic Molecule Essential for Life Found in Interstellar Space
Tryptophan is among the 20 vital amino acids necessary for protein synthesis, crucial for life’s evolution on Earth. This amino acid has many spectral features…
Uncovering Stellar Mysteries – Astrophysicists Observe Blue Supergiants in Detail
Stars serve as the fundamental building blocks of galaxies and, by extension, the entire observable universe. Among the diverse spectrum of stars, those with a…
Cosmic Mystery: A Massive Galaxy Defying Dark Matter Theories
International research led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the University of La Laguna (ULL) has found the first evidence of a…
Galactic Mistake? Astronomers May Have Solved the Mystery of the Runaway Supermassive Black Hole
A study carried out by a team of researchers at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has shown that an unusually thin structure of…
Explosive Secret of Massive Quasar: Relativistic Jets Blowing Bubbles in the Teacup Galaxy’s Core
A study led by Anelise Audibert, a researcher at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), reveals a process that explains the peculiar morphology of…
Galactic Revelations: Molecular Precursors of Life Discovered in the Perseus Cloud
A study led by the researcher Susana Iglesias of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias has detected the presence of large quantities of complex organic…
Two Potentially Habitable Earth-Like Planets Discovered Around a Star Near the Sun
An international scientific team led by researchers at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has discovered the presence of two planets with Earth-like masses…
James Webb Telescope’s Unparalleled View of the Ghostly Light in Galaxy Clusters
Data obtained by the new James Webb Space Telescope was used by a recent study that has produced the most complete analysis to date of…
Astronomers Discover Ancient “Failed Star” With Lithium Deposits Intact
A team of researchers at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE), Mexico, has discovered…
Exoplanet-Hunting Satellite CHEOPS Unexpectedly Detects a Strange Planet “Without a Known Equivalent”
The exoplanet satellite hunter CHEOPS of the European Space Agency (ESA), in which the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is participating along with other…
Solved: Mysterious Solar Paradox That Puzzled Physicists for 25 Years
In 1998, the journal Nature published a seminal letter concluding that the mysterious polarization signal that had been recently discovered in the light emitted by…
Astronomers Discover How to Feed a Supermassive Black Hole
The black holes at the centers of galaxies are the most mysterious objects in the Universe, not only because of the huge quantities of material…
Three Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies Discovered to Be Rotating in Orbit Around the Milky Way
An international team of astrophysicists has discovered the presence of transverse rotation (in the plane of the sky) in three dwarf spheroidal galaxies, a very…