• Saturn's moon is a test ground
    to find life beyond the Solar System
    A team led by the Institute of Astrophysics and Space
    Sciences (IA) used Titan's atmosphere as a natural laboratory
    to deepen the chemistry of methane, a molecule that, on Earth,
    may be a byproduct of life.
  • Ultraviolet light from massive stars
    may prevent the formation of giant planets
    Huge superluminous stars may force young stars of low mass to live nearly alone,
    without the company of giant planets, a study with the participation of the
    Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) confirms.
  • Will this new solar maximum solve
    the puzzle of the Sun’s gamma-ray picture?
    The Sun’s polar regions were the most active emitting high energy
    radiation during the previous solar maximum, an imbalance
    yet to be explained, and reported for the first time in a study
    led by a researcher of the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA).
  • The earth in light of other planets
    Does the study of the atmospheres of other planets help to understand
    the changes on Earth, and inform the urgent and necessary decisions?
    The first session of the lectures series “Aqui, no Universo“.
    30 January, 18:30, Culturgest, Lisbon.
  • Jupiter was the target
    of exoplanet hunter
    For the first time, an instrument to detect planets light-years away
    was used on an object within the Solar System, in a study on the
    winds of Jupiter by the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).
  • Rare giant exoplanets discovered around giant stars
    In two recent scientific papers, led by Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço researchers, several “jupiters” were found around giant and intermediate mass stars, a type of stars were it is not common to find planets, especially so close to them.
  • Black holes are missing in the early Universe,
    and computers are after them
    Forthcoming sky surveys with radio telescopes will capture millions
    of galaxies, but only automatic tools, like the algorithm created
    by a team led by the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA),
    might read this data deluge and recognise the active galaxies.
  • CHEOPS mission extension has begun
    Several researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço have leadership roles in this ESA mission.
  • A deeper understanding of solar physics
    with the help of machine learning
    There's a great potential in the application of machine
    learning to the prediction of extreme solar events,
    or to the study of internal processes within our star,
    states a research article co-authored by a researcher
    of the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).
  • 1000 planets' telescope
    proceeds to construction
    The European Space Agency validated the design
    of the scientific instruments of the Ariel space mission,
    which has an important participation of the
    Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).
  • Name of Portuguese astrophysicist shines in the nightsky
    The International Astronomical Union (IAU) named an asteroid after an astrophysicist from the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço.
  • Exoplanet in orbit of a red giant star escapes destruction
    The planet 8 UMi b, also known as Halla, seems to have survived the expansion of its host star to red giant phase. This discovery, published in the prestigious journal Nature, has the participation of a researcher from the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço.
  • The space telescope that will reveal the invisible Universe is about to be launched
    After more than ten years of preparation, a team led by the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA) will guide the control commands of the Euclid telescope through the mission's six years lifespan.
  • Venus atmosphere in 3D prepares future observations of rocky exoplanets
    The Venus atmosphere may be used as a natural laboratory to understand the evolution of Earth-like planets, according to a study led by the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).
  • Tatooine-like planetary system detected
    The discovery of the exoplanet BEBOP-1c, the second orbiting the binary of stars TOI-1338, had the participation of a researcher from the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).
  • The Sun is a normal star after all
    This work, led by a researcher from the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, seems to put to bed the idea, which gained strength in the last few years, that the Sun was not a standard "solar type" star.
  • Want to work with us and help to shape the future of Astrophysics?
    See the list of open opportunities
INSTITUTE OF
ASTROPHYSICS AND
SPACE SCIENCES
The Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA) is a research infrastructure with a national dimension. It embodies a bold vision for the development of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal, taking full advantage and fully realizing the potential created by the national membership of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
RESEARCH
The research and development effort at the IA includes most of the topics presently, and for the next decade, at the forefront of research in Astrophysics and Space Sciences, from the Solar System to the large-scale properties of the Universe, complemented by work on instrumentation and systems with potential use in Astronomy and Astrophysics projects.
TRAINING
The provision of advanced training is also at the core of IA, with the support of teaching and research at undergraduate and postgraduate level in Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences related degrees, in particular at the Universities of Lisbon and Porto, where such degrees have more solid backing. The Doctoral networks PhD::SPACE and DAEPHYS, recently funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), are examples of the commitment of IA in this area.
OUTREACH
The public outreach groups of IA are recognized as Outreach ESO partners, engaging in a broad range of public outreach activities, most of them based at the Porto Planetarium and at the Astronomical Observatory of Lisbon. Our main objective in outreach is to be the prime source of information on Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences topics for the media and the public in Portugal, and to improve the public awareness of the latest and most relevant findings in Astrophysics and Space Sciences.
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia COMPETE 2020 PORTUGAL 2020 União Europeia