AIP

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.

Two stars as a big and a smaller, bright sphere.

ImagingVTT2024_gband_yellow_combined_square

The role of feedback in galaxy formation

From 14 to 18 July 2025, more than 150 selected scientists will meet at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) to discuss current challenges and developments in astrophysics at the 18th Potsdam Thinkshop. This year's edition of the international event series is dedicated to the topic of ‘The Role of Feedback in Galaxy Formation’ .

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Exoplanet Sparks Stellar Fireworks

Astronomers have witnessed a planet causing eruptions on its parent star. The discovery, published in Nature, could reshape our understanding of how planets and stars interact and evolve together.

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Live Babelsberg Starry Night on 19 June 2025

The next talk of the Virtual Babelsberg Starry Nights of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) on the topic "What binary stars tell us about the rotation of stars" (German) by Dr. David Gruner will be broadcast on the YouTube channel “Urknall, Weltall und das Leben” (Big Bang, Universe and Life) from Thursday, 19.06.2025.

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The Sun Up-Close: High-Resolution Observations with New VTT Camera Technology

Large and complex sunspot groups characterize the surface of the dynamic Sun during its activity cycle. A new camera system at the Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) at the Observatorio del Teide on Tenerife uses image restoration methods to capture small structures in active areas. This has resulted in unique, high-resolution images that reveal the smallest details in active regions of the Sun's surface.

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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.

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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.

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Latest News

The role of feedback in galaxy formation

July 14, 2025

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Exoplanet Sparks Stellar Fireworks

July 2, 2025

Astronomers have witnessed a planet causing eruptions on its parent star. The discovery, published in Nature, could reshape our understanding of how planets and stars interact and evolve together.

[more]

Inauguration of Maria-Margaretha-Kirch building

May 28, 2025

On Wednesday 28 May 2025, the Maria-Margaretha-Kirch building will be officially opened on the campus of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam.

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[To all News]

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

A search for Maunder-minimum candidate stars

Järvinen, S. P., Strassmeier, K. G.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 698, A93 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554111, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets

PolarCat: Catalog of polars, low-accretion rate polars, and candidate objects

Schwope, A. D.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 698, A106 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554519, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

Why are thermally and cosmic ray-driven galactic winds fundamentally different?

Thomas, T., Pfrommer, C., Pakmor, R.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 698, A104 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450817, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

A positive correlation between broad H I Lyα absorptions and local overdensities of galaxies

Pessa, I. et al.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 698, A116 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450542, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars

Edge-on galaxies relative to the edge-on view of the Local Supercluster

Dolgosheeva, P., Makarov, D., Libeskind, N.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 698, L8 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554906, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmography and Large-Scale Structure

Line-of-sight velocity projection impact on Local Group mass determinations

Benisty, D., Mota, D.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 698, A43 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202553846, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmography and Large-Scale Structure

Simulations of Coronal Mass Ejections on a Young Solar-type Star and Their Detectability Through Coronal Spectral Observations

Xu, Y., Tian, H., Alvarado-Gómez, J. D., Drake, J. J., Guerrero, G.

The Astrophysical Journal, 985, 2, 219 – Published June 2025

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adcee7, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets

Galaxy formation physics behind bar formation: A view from cosmological hydrodynamical simulations

Rosas-Guevara, Y., Bonoli, S., Puchwein, E., Dotti, M., Contreras, S.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 698, A20 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202453160, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

The thermal Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect from the epoch of reionization

Iliev, I. T., ... Gottlöber, S., ...

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 540, 2, 1432 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1093/mnras/staf776, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

Ground-breaking exoplanet science with the ANDES spectrograph at the ELT

Palle, E., ... Poppenhaeger, K., ... Pietrow, A. G. M., ...

Experimental Astronomy, 59, 3, 29 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1007/s10686-025-10000-4, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets, Solar Physics

The PLATO mission

Rauer, H., ... Barnes, S., ... Chiappini, C., ... Poppenhaeger, K., ... Strassmeier, K., ... Valentini, M., ... Weingrill, J., ...

Experimental Astronomy, 59, 3, 26 – Published June 2025

doi:10.1007/s10686-025-09985-9, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Activity, Milky Way and the Local Volume, Stellar Physics and Exoplanets, Telescope Control and Robotics

Long Term Reverberation Mapping of Iron Coronal Lines in MKN 110

Yin, C., Lawrence, A., Ward, M., Homan, D., Kollatschny, W.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Published May 2025

doi:10.1093/mnras/staf875, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

How probable is the Ly-α damping wing in the spectrum of the redshift z = 5.9896 quasar ULAS J0148+0600?

Sawyer, F., ... Puchwein, E.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Published May 2025

doi:10.1093/mnras/staf858, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

A magnetic tertiary in the most massive compact triple-star system

Hubrig, S., Vigna-Gómez, A., Järvinen, S. P., Schöller, M., Ilyin, I.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Published May 2025

doi:10.1093/mnrasl/slaf051, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets, High-resolution Spectroscopy and Polarimetry

Quasiperiodic Slow-propagating Extreme-ultraviolet "Wave" Trains after the Filament Eruption

Zhang, Y., ... Sun, Z., ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 985, 1, L1 – Published May 2025

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/add33b, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets

A Parametric Study of Solar Wind Properties and Composition Using Fluid and Kinetic Solar Wind Models

Lomazzi, P., ... Vocks, C., ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 984, 2, 198 – Published May 2025

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adc2f6, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Solar Physics

Flipping of the Tidal Tails of the Ophiuchus Stream due to the Decelerating Galactic Bar

Yang, Y., ... Cullinane, L. R., ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 984, 2, 189 – Published May 2025

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adc57c, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Dwarf Galaxies and the Galactic Halo

oMEGACat. V. Helium Enrichment in ω Centauri as a Function of Metallicity

Clontz, C., ... Kacharov, N., ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 984, 2, 162 – Published May 2025

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adc1c5, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Milky Way and the Local Volume

Probing the co-evolution of SMBHs and their hosts from scaling relations pairwise residuals: dominance of stellar velocity dispersion and host halo mass

Shankar, F., ... Powell, M., ...

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Published May 2025

doi:10.1093/mnras/staf747, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars

Wide-Field Image Restoration of G-Band and Ca II K Images Containing Large and Complex Active Regions

Kamlah, R., Verma, M., Denker, C., Kontogiannis, I., Pietrow, A. G. M., Rendtel, J., Lößnitz, E., Faryad, A., ...

Solar Physics, 300, 5, 62 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1007/s11207-025-02472-6, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Solar Physics

Surface brightness–colour relations of Cepheids calibrated by optical interferometry

Bailleul, M. C., ... Storm, J., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 698, A46 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202553740, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Dwarf Galaxies and the Galactic Halo

Gravito-turbulent bi-fluid protoplanetary discs: I. An analytical perspective to stratification

Rendon Restrepo, S., Ziegler, U., Villenave, M., Gressel, O.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, A126 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202453434, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Magnetohydrodynamics and Turbulence

ASTRAEUS: IX. Impact of an evolving stellar initial mass function on early galaxies and reionisation (Corrigendum)

Cueto, E. R., ... Gottlöber, S., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, C2 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202555385e, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

The population of tidal disruption events discovered with eROSITA

Grotova, I., ... Krumpe, M., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, A159 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202553669, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

Double-peaked Ca II traces a relativistic broad-line region disk in NGC 4593

Ochmann, M. W., Weilbacher, P. M., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, L5 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554800, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars, 3D and Multi Object Spectroscopy

Mapping the diffuse interstellar bands λ5780 and λ6284 in the luminous infrared galaxy merger NGC 6240

van Erp, C. D., Monreal-Ibero, A., Stroo, J. C., Weilbacher, P. M., Smoker, J. V.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, A151 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202553947, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars, 3D and Multi Object Spectroscopy

The EXOD search for faint transients in XMM-Newton observations: Part II

Khan, N., ... Schwope, A. D., Traulsen, I., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, A50 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202453647, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

Comparing the Sun to Sun-like stars: The importance of addressing facular and/or spot domination

Herbst, K., Amazo-Gómez, E. M., Papaioannou, A.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, A80 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202452999, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets

AT2021uey: A planetary microlensing event outside the Galactic bulge

Ban, M., ... Ilyin, I., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, A57 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554236, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: High-resolution Spectroscopy and Polarimetry

Relighting the fire in Hickson Compact Group (HCG) 15: Magnetised fossil plasma revealed by the SKA Pathfinders and Precursors

Riseley, C. J., ... Pfrommer, C., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 697, A45 – Published May 2025

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202553890, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

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

Events and dates at AIP

Special Seminar | Tonatiuh Matos

01.07.2025, 13:00 – 14:00

Scientific

Speaker: Tonatiuh Matos ()
Title: Can quantum mechanics explain the dark universe?

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Functional Jamboree

03.07.2025, 14:30 – 15:30

Internal Event

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Special Seminar | Dr Sarah Bosman (ITP, Heidelberg)

09.07.2025, 11:00 – 12:00

Scientific

Speaker: Dr Sarah Bosman (ITP, Heidelberg)
Title: Cosmic reionisation: recent observational progress and challenges

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Special Seminar | Nico Cappelluti (University of Miami)

09.07.2025, 14:00 – 15:00

Scientific

Speaker: Nico Cappelluti (University of Miami)
Title: The Formation and Evolution of Supermassive Black Holes in the Early Universe

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Hauskolloquium | David Gruner (AIP)

10.07.2025, 14:30 – 15:30

Scientific

Speaker: David Gruner (AIP)
Title: From the rotating Sun to the Milky Way star formation history: the past, present, and future of Gyrochronology

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