Highlights

Can asteroid Ceres “heal” its own scars?

Contrary to expectations, Ceres – the largest celestial body in the asteroid “main belt”, a region located between Mars and Jupiter – shows less craters than expected on its surface, as shown in a study led by Simone Marchi, associate researcher at the National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF), recently published in Nature Communications. The study is based on data from DAWN, the NASA mission in which Italy participates with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and INAF.

Alien Olivine on Vesta?

The olivine found on the surface of the Main Belt's asteroid studied by the Dawn mission may have been deposited in the last billion years by other celestial bodies, as a consequence of their impact. These are the results of a series of simulations conducted by a team of researchers led by Diego Turrini (INAF)

Super-Massive And Supersonic: The First Black Hole Studied With The Sardinia Radio Telescope

Using the brand-new Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT), a giant parabolic dish of 64 meters diameter, a team of astronomers from the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) and the University of Cagliari have produced a detailed image of a super-massive black hole proceeding at high speed towards the core of the distant cluster of galaxies designed as 3C 129

CTA will have its permanent headquarters in Italy

The National Institute for Astrophysics wins the European competition: the board of the project has decided that the headquarters of the international organization leading one of the most prestigious infrastructure of modern physics will be located in Italy

Milky Way in Hi-GAL, a luxurious infrared map

The European project Hi-GAL has released the first map of our Galaxy obtained from the observations of the Herschel space telescope

Starlight on show: a constellation of initiatives on the birth of Astrophysics

The Starlight, the Birth of Astrophysics exhibition is now open: organized by the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) under the patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism (MIBACT), the exhibition will be open until 21 June 2016 at the INAF facilities in Arcetri (near Florence), Rome, Capodimonte (near Naples), Palermo and Padua.

AstroFIt2 – First Call – Ranking List

The grant will be offered to the 9 (nine) candidates with the highest grades. In case of withdrawal, the position will be replaced by the next in the ranking list.

JIRAM warms up

The probe Juno NASA is getting ready for his objective, Jupiter: the appointment to the insertion in orbit of the largest planet of the solar system is going to be on next July, 4. Among the many activities in preparation for that moment, the scientific team responsible for the Italian instrument JIRAM (InfraRed Jovian Auroral Mapper), one of the ten that equips the scientific payload of the mission, was turned on twice, on January 25 and February 9, to carry out some tests on its camera.

CHEOPS under polishing

In anticipation of the CHaracterising Exoplanets Satellite (CHEOPS) mission launch, scheduled for the end of 2017, the surface finishing and the polishing of CHEOPS flight primary mirror have begun, carried out by Media Lario SRL, a SME based in Bosisio Parini, near Lecco

Discovered for the first time the “birthplace” of a fast radio burst

An international team of astronomers, including Marta Burgay, Delphine Perrodin and Andrea Possenti from the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), identified for the first time the place of origin of a Fast Radio Burst (FRB), enigmatic radio signals lasting just a few milliseconds, which appear without warning in the sky

That strange haze on Ceres

A new study with ground-based telescopes conducted by a team of INAF astronomers strengthens the hypotheses provided by the Dawn spacecraft images: the dwarf planet seems to have an internal activity on its own which becomes evident when the light intensity of the mysterious bright spots varies

Gravitational waves: Italy in the forefront of a new understanding of the Universe

The announcement of the first direct detection of a gravitational wave opens a new era in physics and new perspectives in the investigation of the Universe. In this new page in the history of international research, Italy plays a major role, being the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) both involved in a number of projects.

A milestone toward E-ELT construction

ESO will enter into final discussions with the winning bidder of the tender process for the design, manufacture, transport, construction, on-site assembly and verification of the Dome and Main Structure of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). Nicolò D'Amico (INAF's President): "It will bring important returns for italian industries".

Very little magnetism in this odd couple

The new observations of IGR J17544-2619 obtained by the NASA satellite NuSTAR have shed light onto some of the most obscure properties and behaviours of SFXTs. The unprecedented accuracy of these measurements has allowed the team led by Varun Bhalerao at the Inter University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (India), with the participation of INAF researchers Patrizia Romano and Lorenzo Natalucci, to see a cyclotron line in the X-ray spectrum of this source, the unambiguous signature of the interaction between the stellar matter and the magnetic field of the compact object that is attracting it.

4th "Paolo Farinella" Prize 2014

To honor the memory and the outstanding figure of Paolo Farinella (1953–2000), an extraordinary scientist and person, a prize has been established in recognition of significant contributions given in the fields of interest of Paolo, which span from planetary sciences to space geodesy, fundamental physics, science popularization, security in space, weapons control and disarmament.

First COSPAR Symposium - Abstract submission deadline extended

The First COSPAR Symposium will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, 11-15 November 2013. Abstract deadline has been extended to 30 June 2013.

20 vacancies for SKA

The SKA office is advertising a number of vacancies

Job for Ska office: Project scientist(s)

The SKA Office is advertising for the position of Project Scientist, which can be found here http://www.skatelescope.org/people-contacts/jobs/ and in the AAS register.

Joint Call for Proposals, 2013B

To the Astronomical Communities of Italy and the Nordic Countries Joint Call for Proposals, 2013B

CALL FOR PROPOSAL TNG & REM

CALL FOR PROPOSAL TNG & REM also featuring HAN-GTO, PAOLO and first NOTTIME AOT 28 (2013B) is now open for proposals Applications for observing time for the period September 1st, 2013 - February 28th, 2014 are solicited and should be submitted by Friday 3rd May, 2013, 13:00 UT