For the first time, astronomers have detected phosphorus-bearing molecules—key ingredients of DNA and RNA—in a cold, starless core, one of the earliest phases of star formation. Using the IRAM 30-meter and Yebes 40-meter telescopes, researchers identified phosphorus mononitride (PN), phosphorus monoxide (PO), and the phosphorus oxide ion (PO⁺) in a pristine interstellar cloud 1,000 light-years [...]
The 10th International VLBI Technology Workshop (IVTW2025) will be held October 21–25, 2025, in Gothenburg, Sweden, hosted by Chalmers University of Technology and Onsala Space Observatory. The workshop will cover a broad range of topics in VLBI technology, including station systems, frontend/backend developments, recording and correlation techniques, image processing, RFI strategies, and future space VLBI [...]
A major new study using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has revealed how gas and dust evolve differently in planet-forming disks around young stars. The AGE-PRO survey—observing 30 disks of varying ages—provides the first systematic measurements of gas masses and chemistry over time, reshaping our understanding of how planets acquire their atmospheres. The study [...]
MeerKAT, South Africa’s premier radio telescope, has successfully completed its first full Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observation with the European VLBI Network (EVN)—the world’s most sensitive VLBI system. This milestone marks a major advance in global radio astronomy, significantly boosting the resolution and sensitivity of observations. By integrating MeerKAT into EVN operations, researchers captured [...]
This is the first announcement of the 11th IRAM 30-meter School on Millimetre Astronomy that will take place on October 31st to November 7th in Granada, Spain. On-line registration will open shortly. The school will combine lectures on millimetre astronomy with observations using the 30-meter telescope. Lectures will be given by experienced scientists and 30-meter observers, covering a wide range [...]
The latest issue of the AtLAST newsletter is now available, announcing the successful completion of the EU-funded design study and the launch of the project’s second phase. Supported by a new EU research infrastructure grant, AtLAST2 will focus on consolidating the scientific and technical plans for the future submillimeter observatory. The newsletter provides updates on [...]
A symbolic moment in millimetre-wave VLBI at the Max-Planck-Institute für Radioastronomie (MPIfR): For the first time, the 12-meter APEX telescope in Chile and the 100-meter Effelsberg radio telescope in Germany have successfully detected VLBI fringes between them. Both telescopes are operated by the MPIfR). APEX, located at 5100 m altitude on the Chajnantor Plateau in [...]
Proposals for observing time are now invited for the 2025APR semester for the: ASKAP radio telescope; Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA); Murriyang, the CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope Tidbinbilla 70-m and 34-m antennas; and Long Baseline Array (VLBI). The deadline for all proposals is 07:00 UT (17:00 Sydney local time) on Tuesday, 17 June 2025. All proposals must be submitted using the online proposal application [...]
Call for Proposals for the East Asian VLBI Network (EAVN) for the 2025B semester The East Asian VLBI Network (EAVN) invites proposals for open-use observations for the 2025B semester. EAVN is a collaborative VLBI array uniting facilities across China, Korea, and Japan. In this semester, 16 telescopes will participate in the open-use program, including KaVA [...]
On 15 May 2025, Onsala Space Observatory celebrated 75 years of groundbreaking science and innovation. As Sweden’s national facility for radio astronomy, Onsala has been at the forefront of global efforts to explore the universe and understand our planet. Since its founding in 1949, Onsala has contributed to major scientific advances in astronomy, geodesy, and [...]