Using the most accurate and detailed cosmological simulations available, an international team has made an exciting prediction that may shed new light on our understanding of the universe: a large population of faint galaxies in our cosmic neighbourhood await discovery.

Astronomers have discovered that magnetic fields in multiple star systems with at least one giant, hot blue star, are much more common than previously thought by scientists. The results significantly improve the understanding of massive stars and their role as progenitors of supernova explosions.

From 20 to 24 March, 150 participants from 25 countries worldwide meet in Potsdam for the IAU Symposium 379 “Dynamical Masses of Local Group Galaxies”. The focus of the conference is on determining the mass of galaxies in our cosmic neighbourhood.

Huygens built excellent lenses in the 17th century, but his telescopes lacked sharpness in comparison with what was possible at that time. In a recent study, Dr Alex Pietrow, researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP), investigated Huygens’ calculations and has concluded that the Dutch astronomer and mathematician was probably near-sighted and would have needed eyeglasses to improve his telescopes.

Astronomers from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) and the Vatican Observatory (VO) teamed up to spectroscopically survey more than 1000 bright stars that potentially host exoplanets.

On Saturday, February 25, the exhibition "Sun. The source of light" at the Museum Barberini. Besides great works by Claude Monet, William Turner and Otto Dix, 15 photographic plates of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) will be presented.