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 cosmic magnetic fields, extragalactic astrophysics and the development of research technologies in the fields of spectroscopy, robotic telescopes and E-science.

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New map of the universe shows mega structures

An international research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) has developed a new method of imaging the universe and created a fascinating map of the cosmos based on analysing the motions of 56,000 galaxies. The work shows impressive cosmic structures and maps the large-scale interconnectedness of galaxy superclusters in our universe.

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Virtual lecture: Babelsberg Starry Night on 19 September 2024

The next talk of the Virtual Babelsberg Starry Nights of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) will be broadcast on the YouTube channel “videowissen” from Thursday, 19th September 2024.

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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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Research Area I: Cosmic Magnetic Fields

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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Discovery of ancient stars on the stellar thin disk of the Milky Way

Machine learning shed new light on the formation history of our Milky Way: a surprising discovery about the evolution of our galaxy using data from the Gaia mission found a large number of ancient stars on orbits similar to that of our Sun. They formed the Milky Way’s thin disc already less than 1 billion years after the Big Bang, several billion years earlier than previously believed.

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Latest News

New map of the universe shows mega structures

Sept. 27, 2024

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Book a Scientist

Sept. 19, 2024

Speed dating with science. Appointments can be booked now.

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Virtual lecture: Babelsberg Starry Night on 19 September 2024

Sept. 18, 2024

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[To all News]

Have you heard?

Latest Publications

High-resolution spectroscopy of the variable hot post-AGB star LS 4331 (IRAS 17381‑1616)

Ikonnikova, N. P., Parthasarathy, M., Shaposhnikov, I. A., Hubrig, S., Sarkar, G.

Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy, 45, 2, 27 – Published December 2024

doi:10.1007/s12036-024-10012-0, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets

First resolved stellar halo kinematics of a Milky Way-mass galaxy outside the Local Group: The flat counter-rotating halo in NGC 4945

Beltrand, C., ... de Jong, R. S., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 690, A115 – Published October 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450626, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Milky Way and the Local Volume

Large-scale structure around the Fornax-Eridanus complex

Raj, M. A., ... Libeskind, N. I., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 690, A92 – Published October 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450815, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmography and Large-Scale Structure

Lopsided distribution of MATLAS and ELVES dwarf satellite systems around isolated host galaxies

Heesters, N., Jerjen, H., Müller, O., Pawlowski, M. S., Jamie Kanehisa, K.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 690, A110 – Published October 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450110, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Dwarf Galaxies and the Galactic Halo

High-resolution observations of two pores with the integral field unit (IFU) of the GREGOR Infrared Spectrograph (GRIS)

Verma, M.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 690, A3 – Published October 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202347571, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Solar Physics

Author Correction: Fast-moving stars around an intermediate-mass black hole in ω Centauri

Häberle, M., ... Kacharov, N., ...

Nature, 634, 8032, E1 – Published October 2024

doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08017-4, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Milky Way and the Local Volume

Deep learning the intergalactic medium using Lyman-alpha forest at 4 ≤ z ≤ 5

Nasir, F., ... Puchwein, E., ...

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 534, 2, 1299 – Published October 2024

doi:10.1093/mnras/stae2153, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

Why does the Milky Way have a bar?

Khoperskov, S., Minchev, I., Steinmetz, M., Ratcliffe, B., Walcher, J. C., Libeskind, N. I.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 533, 4, 3975 – Published October 2024

doi:10.1093/mnras/stae1902, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Milky Way and the Local Volume, Galaxies and Quasars, Cosmography and Large-Scale Structure

Identification of basins of attraction in the local Universe

Valade, A., Libeskind, N. I., ... Pfeifer, S., ...

Nature Astronomy – Published September 2024

doi:10.1038/s41550-024-02370-0, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmography and Large-Scale Structure

Retrieving Young Cloudy L Dwarfs: A Nearby Planetary-mass Companion BD+60 1417B and its Isolated Red Twin W0047

Phillips, C. L., ... Ilyin, I., Strassmeier, K., ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 972, 2, 172 – Published September 2024

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad5d57, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: High-resolution Spectroscopy and Polarimetry

Elemental Abundances in And XIX from Coadded Spectra

Cullinane, L. R. et al.

The Astrophysical Journal, 972, 2, 133 – Published September 2024

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad5f2e, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Dwarf Galaxies and the Galactic Halo

High-Resolution Sun-as-a-Star Spectroscopy of the Partial Solar Eclipse of 2017 August 21

Dineva, E., Denker, C., Verma, M., Strassmeier, K., Ilyin, I., ...

Solar Physics, 299, 9, 123 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1007/s11207-024-02358-z, NASA ADS

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

The SRG/eROSITA all-sky survey: Cosmology constraints from cluster abundances in the western Galactic hemisphere

Ghirardini, V., ... Lamer, G., ... Schwope, A., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A298 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202348852, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

Projection factor and radii of Type II Cepheids: BL Her stars

Wielgórski, P., ... Storm, J., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A241 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450182, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Dwarf Galaxies and the Galactic Halo

Hubble Space Telescope proper motions of Large Magellanic Cloud star clusters: I. Catalogues and results for NGC 1850

Niederhofer, F., ... Kacharov, N., ... Cioni, M.-R. L., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A162 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450255, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Dwarf Galaxies and the Galactic Halo, Milky Way and the Local Volume

The high-energy environment of the heavy sub-Earth GJ 367 b indicates likely complete evaporation of its atmosphere

Poppenhaeger, K., Ketzer, L., Ilic, N., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A188 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202449351, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets

Exploring the stellar rotation of early-type stars in the LAMOST medium-resolution survey: III. Evolution

Sun, W., Chiappini, C.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A141 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450628, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Milky Way and the Local Volume

Unveiling the nature of two dwarf novae: CRTS J080846.2+313106 and V416 Dra

Joshi, A., ... Schwope, A., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A158 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202348307, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

From gas to stars: MUSEings on the internal evolution of IC 1613

Taibi, S., ... Roth, M. M., ... Kacharov, N., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A88 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202449468, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Dwarf Galaxies and the Galactic Halo, Astrophotonics (innoFSPEC), Milky Way and the Local Volume

Chandra Survey in the AKARI deep field at the North Ecliptic Pole: Optical and near-infrared identifications of X-ray sources

Miyaji, T., ... Krumpe, M., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A83 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450453, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

Can the splashback radius be an observable boundary of galaxy clusters?

Lebeau, T., Ettori, S., Aghanim, N., Sorce, J. G.

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A19 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450146, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

Detecting galaxy groups populating the local Universe in the eROSITA era

Marini, I., ... Lamer, G., ...

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 689, A7 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202450442, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: X-ray Astronomy

Revealing the chemical structure of the Magellanic Clouds with APOGEE. I. Calculating individual stellar ages of RGB stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Povick, J. T., ... Cioni, M.-R. L., ...

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 533, 3, 3685 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1093/mnras/stae1949, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Dwarf Galaxies and the Galactic Halo

Ram-pressure stripped radio tails detected in the dynamically active environment of the Shapley Supercluster

Merluzzi, P., ... Krajnović, D., ...

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 533, 2, 1394 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1093/mnras/stae1867, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars

Growth of high-redshift supermassive black holes from heavy seeds in the BRAHMA cosmological simulations: implications of overmassive black holes

Bhowmick, A. K., ... Weinberger, R., ...

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 533, 2, 1907 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1093/mnras/stae1819, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

Damping wing-like features in the stacked Ly α forest: Potential neutral hydrogen islands at z < 6

Zhu, Y., ... Puchwein, E., ...

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 533, 1, L49 – Published September 2024

doi:10.1093/mnrasl/slae061, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Cosmology and High-Energy Astrophysics

Fine structures of a solar type III radio bursts observed with LOFAR

Dabrowski, B., ... Vocks, C., ... Bröse, M., ... Mann, G., ...

Acta Geophysica – Published August 2024

doi:10.1007/s11600-024-01421-4, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Solar Physics

Simulated Coronal Mass Ejections on a Young Solar-type Star and the Associated Instantaneous Angular Momentum Loss

Xu, Y., Alvarado-Gómez, J. D., ... Poppenhäger, K., ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 971, 2, 153 – Published August 2024

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad5845, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Stellar Physics and Exoplanets

Denser Environments Cultivate Larger Galaxies: A Comprehensive Study beyond the Local Universe with 3 Million Hyper Suprime-Cam Galaxies

Ghosh, A., ... Powell, M. C., ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 971, 2, 142 – Published August 2024

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad596f, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Galaxies and Quasars

Proper Motions and Orbits of Distant Local Group Dwarf Galaxies from a Combination of Gaia and Hubble Data

Bennet, P., ... Sacchi, E., ...

The Astrophysical Journal, 971, 1, 98 – Published August 2024

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad5349, NASA ADS

AIP sections/groups: Supercomputing and E-Science

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

Events and dates at AIP

External Colloquium | Margot Leemker (U. of Milan)

10.10.2024, 14:00 – 16:00

Scientific

A fish out of water: unique observations of water in planet-forming disks

Water is a crucial ingredient for life as we know it on Earth. Furthermore, water enhances planet formation and it is the main carrier of oxygen, one of the most abundant elements. Still, the trail of water from clouds to planets is unclear. Water on Earth may be inherited from its parent molecular cloud, but it is also possible that water has been destroyed and reformed along the water trail from the cloud to the disk. In addition, spatially resolved observations of water in planet-forming disks are extremely rare, hiding one of the most important molecules from our sight at the moment planets are forming. In this talk I will show the latest results looking at water in planet-forming disks, including both the first spatially resolved observations of the main water isotopologue tracing the spatial extend of water, and the most rare isotopologue observed to date tracing whether or not water is inherited from the earliest phases of star and planet formation.

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Book a Scientist

15.10.2024

Public Event

You never ask, you never know – speed dating with scientists. At “Book a Scientist” you have the chance to exchange thoughts with an expert from the Leibniz Association for 25 minutes and the AIP is also taking part again. "How do we measure our galaxy?" is the topic of Dr. Katja Weingrill. Until October 11, you can book a meeting now.

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