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Welcome!

The Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) is dedicated to astrophysical questions ranging from the exploration of our Sun to the evolution of the cosmos. It focuses on the study of stellar, solar and exoplanetary physics, extragalactic astrophysics and the development of research technologies in the fields of spectroscopy, robotic telescopes and E-science.

Starry sky with a galaxy and a globular cluster, with jagged lines running across the image, some with larger peaks.
VISTA_4MOST
HESTIA_MW_AIP
Sun-magnetic_field_lines
MUSE Ultra Deep Field

4MOST Captures First Light

The 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST) facility, installed on the VISTA telescope at the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Paranal Observatory in Chile, has obtained its first light - it is now ready to begin its scientific journey. Moreover, 4MOST does not simply take images of the sky; it records spectra, capturing the light of each object in every individual colour. With this capability, it can unravel the light of 2400 celestial objects simultaneously into 18,000 colour components, allowing astronomers to study their detailed chemical composition and properties.

[more]

Virtual lecture: Babelsberg Starry Night on 23 October 2025

On Thursday, 23 October, Prof. Matthias Steinmetz will talk about the large-scale instrument project 4MOST – the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope – in the virtual Babelsberg Starry Night. The video will be broadcast on the YouTube channel ‘Urknall, Weltall und das Leben’ at 8 p.m.

[more]

Milky Way shows gamma ray excess due to dark matter annihilation

New research shows that dark matter has a different distribution in our galaxy than previously thought and that advances dark matter’s status as potential source of the observed gamma ray excess in the Milky Way’s center. High-resolution simulations reveal that the dark matter distribution in the inner galaxy is not spherical, but flattened and asymmetrical. The findings confirm the theory that the gamma ray excess is due to dark matter annihilation.

[more]

Research Area I: Stellar, Solar and Exoplanetary Physics

Cosmic events are determined by two natural forces: gravity and magnetic fields. The magnetic field research at the AIP is mainly focused on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, the magnetically induced activities on the Sun and the stars, solar coronaphysics as well as space weather in our solar system and on planets around other stars.

[more]

Research Area II: Extragalactic Astrophysics

Galaxies are fundamental cosmic building blocks. At the largest scales, they serve as markers to study the distribution of matter in the universe - active galaxies and quasars are particularly important because of their intrinsic brightness. Nearby objects can be spatially resolved and consist of populations with very different patterns of motion, star formation histories and chemical abundances.

[more]

 

Latest News
VISTA_4MOST

Virtual lecture: Babelsberg Starry Night on 23 October 2025
Oct. 23, 2025

On Thursday, 23 October, Prof. Matthias Steinmetz will talk about the large-scale instrument project 4MOST – the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope – in the next virtual Babelsberg Starry Night. The video will be broadcast on the YouTube channel ‘Urknall, Weltall und das Leben’ at 8 p.m.

[more]
Starry sky with a galaxy and a globular cluster, with jagged lines running across the image, some with larger peaks.

4MOST Captures First Light
Oct. 21, 2025

On October 18, 2025, the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST) facility, installed on the VISTA telescope at the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Paranal Observatory in Chile, obtained its first light - it is now ready to begin its scientific journey. Moreover, 4MOST does not simply take images of the sky; it records spectra, capturing the light of each object in every individual colour. With this capability, it can unravel the light of 2400 celestial objects simultaneously into 18,000 colour components, allowing astronomers to study their detailed chemical composition and properties.

[more]
HESTIA_MW_AIP

Milky Way shows gamma ray excess due to dark matter annihilation
Oct. 17, 2025

New research shows that dark matter has a different distribution in our galaxy than previously thought and that advances dark matter’s status as potential source of the observed gamma ray excess in the Milky Way’s center. High-resolution simulations reveal that the dark matter distribution in the inner galaxy is not spherical, but flattened and asymmetrical. The findings confirm the theory that the gamma ray excess is due to dark matter annihilation.

[more]
 

Have you heard?

The Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) has suspended communication on its X account (formerly Twitter). The decision reflects concerns about the current direction of the platform, which is seen as inconsistent with our values like openness, scientific integrity, transparency and democratic discourse. AIP will continue to share news via its website and other social media platforms, such as Mastodon and Bluesky.

Latest Publications

Fermi-LAT Galactic Center Excess Morphology of Dark Matter in Simulations of the Milky Way Galaxy

Muru, M. M., Silk, J., Libeskind, N. I., Gottlöber, S., Hoffman, Y.
Physical Review Letters, 135, 16, 161005 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1103/g9qz-h8wd, NASA ADS

High-redshift AGN population in radiation-hydrodynamics simulations

Bulichi, T.-E., ... Puchwein, E., ...
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Published October 2025
doi:10.1093/mnras/staf1769, NASA ADS

The HST Legacy Archival Uniform Reduction of Local Group Imaging (LAURELIN). I. Photometry and Star Formation Histories for 36 Ultra-faint Dwarf Galaxies

Durbin, M. J., ... Sacchi, E., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 992, 1, 106 – Published October 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ae00c8, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Supercomputing and E-Science

Applying a star formation model calibrated on high-resolution interstellar medium simulations to cosmological simulations of galaxy formation

Burger, J. D., ... Weinberger, R.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Published October 2025
doi:10.1093/mnras/staf1720, NASA ADS

HST Proper Motions of Andromeda V and Andromeda VI

Casetti-Dinescu, D. I., Pawlowski, M. S., ... Kanehisa, K. J., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 992, 1, 54 – Published October 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ae0479, NASA ADS

Radiometer calibration using machine learning

Leeney, S. A. K., ... Puchwein, E., ...
Scientific Reports, 15, 1, 34335 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1038/s41598-025-16732-9, NASA ADS

Stars Born in the Wind: M82's Outflow and Halo Star Formation

Rao, V. V., ... de Jong, R. S., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 992, 1, 13 – Published October 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adfdce, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Milky Way and the Local Volume

Correction: Bo\vsković's Spherical Trigonometric Solution for Determining the Axis and Rate of Solar Rotation by Observing Sunspots in 1777

Husak, M., ... Krajnović, D., ...
Solar Physics, 300, 10, 144 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1007/s11207-025-02542-9, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars

Multiple star-forming episodes of intermediate-redshift galaxies

Muñoz López, C., Krajnović, D., ... Urrutia, T., Pessa, I., ... Pharo, J., ...
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 702, A146 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202555197, NASA ADS

Solar flux atlases: The new HARPS-N quiet Sun benchmark and continuum normalisation of the Ca II H & K lines

Hanassi-Savari, F., Pietrow, A. G. M., Druett, M. K., Cretignier, M., Ellwarth, M.
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 702, A97 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202451874, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Solar Physics

Solar Orbiter reveals persistent magnetic reconnection in medium-scale filament eruptions

Tan, S., Warmuth, A., Schuller, F., ...
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 702, A88 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202555300, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Solar Physics

The X-ray statistical properties of dust-obscured galaxies detected by eROSITA

Noboriguchi, A., ... Urrutia, T.
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 702, A34 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450190, NASA ADS

FEAST: JWST/NIRCam View of the Resolved Stellar Populations of the Interacting Dwarf Galaxies NGC 4485 and NGC 4490

Bortolini, G., ... Sacchi, E., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 991, 2, 212 – Published October 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adfccc, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Supercomputing and E-Science

Multiwavelength study of extreme variability in LEDA 1154204: A changing-look event in a type 1.9 Seyfert

Saha, T., ... Homan, D., Krumpe, M., ... Brink, J., ...
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 702, A28 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202347985, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars, X-ray Astronomy

A real-time search for Type Ia Supernovae with late-time interactions with circumstellar material in ZTF data

Terwel, J. H., ... Reusch, S., ...
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 702, A21 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202555892, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Supercomputing and E-Science

MISTRAL: a model for AGN winds from radiatively efficient accretion in cosmological simulations

Farcy, M., ... Weinberger, R., ...
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 543, 2, 967 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1093/mnras/staf1464, NASA ADS

Tracing stellar rotation in young massive LMC clusters

Kamann, S., ... Niederhofer, F., ...
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 542, 4, 2768 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1093/mnras/staf1371, NASA ADS

Testing and combining transient spectral classification tools on 4MOST-like blended spectra

Milligan, A., ... Storm, J., ...
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 543, 1, 247 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1093/mnras/staf1419, NASA ADS

The impact of faint AGN discovered by JWST on reionization

Asthana, S., ... Puchwein, E.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 542, 4, 2968 – Published October 2025
doi:10.1093/mnras/staf1387, NASA ADS

BASS. LII. The Prevalence of Double-peaked Broad Lines at Low Accretion Rates among Hard X-Ray Selected Active Galactic Nuclei

Ward, C., ... Powell, M. C., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 991, 1, 116 – Published September 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adfa25, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars

Dynamics of Low-mass Black Hole Seeds in the BRAHMA Simulations Using Subgrid Dynamical Friction: Impact on Merger-driven Black Hole Growth in the High-redshift Universe

Bhowmick, A. K., ... Weinberger, R., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 991, 1, 81 – Published September 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adf96b, NASA ADS

Weakened Magnetic Braking Signals the Collapse of the Global Stellar Dynamo

Metcalfe, T. S., ... Ilyin, I. V., Strassmeier, K. G.
The Astrophysical Journal, 991, 1, L17 – Published September 2025
doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ae03bc, NASA ADS

Kinematical Modeling of the Resolved Stellar Outskirts of M32: Constraints on Tidal Stripping Scenarios

Escala, I., ... Cullinane, L. R., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 991, 1, 31 – Published September 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adf63c, NASA ADS

Observational Biases on Rotation Curves from Integral Field Unit Data at Cosmic Noon

Araujo-Carvalho, A. E., Gonçalves, T. S., Krajnović, D., Menéndez-Delmestre, K., de Isídio, N.
The Astrophysical Journal, 991, 1, 3 – Published September 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adef06, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars

A Galactic Self-portrait: Density Structure and Integrated Properties of the Milky Way Disk

Imig, J., ... Minchev, I., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 990, 2, 203 – Published September 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adf723, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Milky Way and the Local Volume

High-resolution Optical IFU Spectroscopy of the Complex Galaxy Merger II Zw 096

Riesco, C., ... Tubín-Arenas, D., ...
The Astrophysical Journal, 990, 2, 136 – Published September 2025
doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adee18, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

Automatic Detection of Ellerman Bombs in the Hα Line

Faryad, A., Pietrow, A. G. M., Verma, M., Denker, C.
Solar Physics, 300, 9, 127 – Published September 2025
doi:10.1007/s11207-025-02534-9, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: Solar Physics

The incidence of magnetism in blue and yellow straggler stars

Hubrig, S., Järvinen, S. P., Ilyin, I., Schöller, M.
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 701, A255 – Published September 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202556166, NASA ADS

A new Bowen fluorescence flare and extreme coronal line emitter discovered by SRG/eROSITA

Baldini, P., ... Tubín-Arenas, D., ... Bahic, S., Homan, D., Krumpe, M., ...
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 701, A224 – Published September 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554812, NASA ADS
AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

ATREIDES: I. Embarking on a trek across the exo-Neptunian landscape with the TOI-421 system

Bourrier, V., ... Poppenhaeger, K., ... Pietrow, A. G. M.
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 701, A190 – Published September 2025
doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554856, NASA ADS

[List of AIP publications] [AIP publications in ADS]

 

Events and dates at AIP

Scientific Advisory Board
30.09.2025 – 01.10.2025
Internal Event
[more]

House Colloquium | Ramona Augustin (AIP)
02.10.2025, 14:30 – 15:30
Scientific

Speaker: Ramona Augustin (AIP)
Title: The Circumgalactic Medium - Insights on gas distribution and structure from observations and simulations

[more]

STIX Team Meeting
06.10.2025 – 09.10.2025
Scientific

AIP is hosting the STIX Meeting from 6-9 Oct 2025. This is part of the sequence of bi-annual meetings of the instrument team of the Spectrometer/Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX), an X-ray telescope dedicated to the study of solar flares on ESA's Solar Orbiter mission. 30 scientists from seven European countries involved in STIX will discuss new scientific results and plan the operation of the instrument for the next phase of the mission. Several scientists involved in other instruments on Solar Orbiter as well as on other missions will participate in the meeting to discuss joint investigations.

[more]

External Colloquium | Emre Işık (Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research)
09.10.2025, 14:30 – 15:30
Scientific

Speaker: Emre Işık (Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research)
Title: From Sun to Stars: Unraveling the Physics of Magnetic Activity

[more]

Babelsberg Starry Night - Live at the campus babelsberg
14.10.2025, 19:15 – 21:00
Public Event

The AIP invites you to a live Babelsberg Starry Night at the Babelsberg campus:

[more]

External Colloquium | Maarit Korpi-Lagg (Aalto University, Finland)
16.10.2025, 14:30 – 15:30
Scientific

Speaker: Maarit Korpi-Lagg (Aalto University, Finland)
Title: Recent results on modelling solar-stellar dynamics and dynamo and comparisons with observations

[more]

Special Seminar | Himansh Rathore
21.10.2025, 15:00 – 16:00
Scientific

Speaker: Himansh Rathore ()
Title: The LMC-SMC System: A New Laboratory for Galaxy Interactions, Galaxy Dynamics and Dark Matter

[more]

External Colloquium | Isabelle Boisse (Observatoire de Haute-Provence)
23.10.2025, 14:30 – 15:30
Scientific

Speaker: Isabelle Boisse (Observatoire de Haute-Provence)
Title: Exoplanets and other astrophysics subjects from Observatoire de Haute-Provence, or how small telescopes are needed to the success of the biggest

[more]

Virtual Babelsberg Starry Night
23.10.2025, 20:00 – 21:00
Public Event

Talk (in German): 4MOST - Das Teleskop in Chile geht an den Start (Matthias Steinmetz)

[more]

Observation evening in the Great Refractor
03.11.2025, 20:00 – 21:00
Public Event

The AIP invites to a public observation evening in the Great Refractor at the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam. Prior registration required, see Observation Evenings.

[more]

Babelsberg Starry Night - Live at the campus babelsberg
18.11.2025, 19:15 – 21:00
Public Event

The AIP invites you to a live Babelsberg Starry Night at the Babelsberg campus:

[more]

External Colloquium | Lise Christensen (Niels Bohr Institute)
27.11.2025, 14:30 – 15:30
Scientific

Speaker: Lise Christensen (Niels Bohr Institute)
Title: TBD

[more]

Observation evening in the Great Refractor
02.12.2025, 19:00 – 20:00
Public Event

The AIP invites to a public observation evening in the Great Refractor at the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam. Prior registration required, see Observation Evenings.

[more]
Public Event
Scientific
Internal Event
Holidays

Conferences
Bows and bubbles that are caused by stellar feedback and galactic winds

The role of feedback in galaxy formation: from small-scale winds to galactic outflows
18th Potsdam Thinkshop
July 14, 2025 – July 18, 2025
[Website]
Spacecraft in front of the Sun

STIX Team Meeting
Oct. 6, 2025 – Oct. 9, 2025
[Website]