AIP in the media
AIP scientists are regularly featured in the media with their research results and expertise on astronomical topics. Here you find a selection of current and freely accessible articles, radio reports and broadcasts. Older contributions can be found at the archive page.
Pionierarbeit zu Sternen: Potsdamer Astrophysiker erhält Johann-Wempe-Preis
Report on the presentation of the Johann Wempe Award to Sebastian Kamann (also see press release)
Tagesschau - Sun Spot
On the Tagesschau news on 7 February 2026 at 8 p.m., Dr Alexander Warmuth explained the effects that solar flares can have on Earth (from approx. 11:39 min).
Artemis 2 - Back to the Moon
TV contribution about the moon mission Artemis II with a short interview filmed inside AIP's Great Refractor, Potsdam (starting at 24:06 minutes)
Artemis program: 2026 return to the moon
Mirko Krumpe in an interview with Axel Dorloff about NASA's Artemis 2 mission (in German)
Galaxies in 3D
In the BRANDWISSEN podcast from proWissen, Dr Tanya Urrutia talks about light fingerprints, rotating galaxies and giant spectrographs – from her childhood in Guatemala and her fascination with Orion to the topic of black holes.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YRnrN86OEEsRd8BtQjR0K?si=2WPHbS3QTnWlySrlXWzzHA
2026: return to the moon
Interview with Mirko Krumpe about the Artemis programme (in German)
Heiligabend: Sterne - und was sie uns bedeuten. Von roten Zwergen und außerirdischem Leben
Interview with Iva Vilovic on stars and exoplanets
30 around 30 – with Fabio Lesjak
In the current issue of Leibniz Magazine, Fabio Lesjak speaks about his research at the AIP.
https://www.leibniz-magazin.de/alle-artikel/magazindetail/newsdetails/30-um-die-30-fabio-lesjak
4MOST – A new view into space
Tonspur Wissen - der Wissens-Podcast - from Rheinische Post and Leibniz Association with Matthias Steinmetz in an interview about 4MOST (in German) Link
https://podfollow.com/tonspurwissen/episode/728a1a5d9c55119b10d5d5c2deb6eecad3f06b7c/view
New insights into the origin of the Pleiades.
A new study shows that the Pleiades have thousands of siblings spread across the sky. The key breakthrough came through gyrochronology. This method was developed by Sydney Barnes (AIP) and has becoming an increasingly reliable tool in modern astrophysics.
https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/meet-the-seven-sisters-3000-lost-siblings/
Is the expansion of the universe slowing down?
In the scientific programme ‘Die Profis’ (The Professionals), Prof. Dr. Steinmetz discusses the results of a recent South Korean study in an interview, according to which the universe may not accelerate in the future, but could expand more slowly.
Thousands of stars in one shot – Potsdam telescope 4MOST launched
Interview with Prof. Dr. Matthias Steinmetz about the “First Light” of 4MOST on October 18, 2025
Tagesschau from October 21, 2025
At the Paranal Observatory in Chile, the new 4Most telescope is starting its work researching stars and galaxies.
https://www.tagesschau.de/video/video-1517632.html
From Chile to space through Potsdam eyes
A feature on the development of 4MOST by the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam on Inforadio
Heartbeat of a faraway star
Article about the work of Dr. Julian Alvarado Gomez on Iota Horologii, the first magnetically mapped star besides the Sun.