• 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • "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.
  • 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.
  • 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!
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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