Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço

Scientists discover exoplanet orbiting closest single star to our Sun

Barnard b, an exoplanet with half the mass of Venus, was discovered by a team that includes several Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço researchers.
MORE (in Portuguese)
Most detailed infrared map ever of our Milky Way revealed

This map is the result of two observational surveys, spanning over more
than 13 years, that had the participation of an Instituto de Astrofísica
e Ciências do Espaço collaborator.
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Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço paves the way in the field of Exoclimatology

Three papers about “hot jupiter” WASP-76 b, led by Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço researchers, will be the foundation for understanding the global climate of a giant exoplanet.
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Six new worlds discovered
adrift in a cradle of stars

An international team with the participation of the
Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA)
used the James Webb telescope to find planetary-mass
objects, but freely moving in interstellar space.
MORE (in Portuguese)
World experts in asteroseismology gather in international conference in Porto

The largest conference in the field of asteroseismology is organized by
Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, and is being held in
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto.
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Agreement for the construction of telescope made in Portugal was signed

The agreement to install the PoET solar telescope in the Paranal
Observatory was recently signed by ESO's director general and the board
of Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto, as host institution
for the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço.
MORE (in Portuguese)
"Dry ice" found in fossils from
the Solar System infancy

Observations with the James Webb telescope and the participation
of the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) revealed
carbon dioxide in the ices beyond Neptune, which may inform
studies on the origin of life on Earth.
MORE (in Portuguese)
ESO signs agreement for ANDES instrument on the ELT

The construction of the ANDES spectrograph, to be installed in the
largest telescope of the next generation, ESO's ELT, has a strong
participation of Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço.
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IA Summer Program 2024

How far do you dare to go?
IA Summer Program 2024 is your gateway to outer space.
It will run from 8 to 26 July. Apply now and before 3 June!
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First 'glory' on hellish distant world?

Led by an Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço researcher, the team used ESA's Cheops space telescope to observe potential signs of the rainbow-like 'glory effect' in the exoplanet WASP-76b.
MORE (in Portuguese)
Tiniest 'starquakes' ever detected

Led by Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço researchers, the team used one of the most advanced spectrographs in the world to detect solar-like oscillations in an orange dwarf star.
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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.
MORE (in Portuguese)
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.
MORE (in Portuguese)
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).
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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.
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Want to work with us and help to shape the future of Astrophysics?

See the list of open opportunities
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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).

WHAT IS IA? | TEAM | OPPORTUNITIES | INTRANET

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.

TRAINING AT IA | PHD::SPACE | IA PHD STUDENTSHIPS | SCIENTIFIC INITIATION STUDENTSHIPS | SKIES TRAINING

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.

OUTREACH