European Radio Astronomy Consortium

Newsletter Issue 3/2026

Radio Signals from the Edge of Extreme Stars

Astronomers have discovered that some of the Universe’s fastest-spinning stars, millisecond pulsars, broadcast radio waves from much farther out than previously thought.

Studying nearly 200 pulsars, the team found that about one-third emit radio signals from multiple regions, with some pulses perfectly lining up with gamma-ray flashes. This suggests that radio waves are produced not only near the star’s surface but also in a distant, swirling “current sheet” where magnetic fields sweep nearly at the speed of light.

This breakthrough reveals that pulsars broadcast from both their surfaces and the far reaches of their magnetic fields. It also means more pulsars may be detectable than previously believed, offering new insights into gravity, dense matter, and cosmic phenomena. The ruesults have been published here.

Read the full press release from MPIfR,

Image: The illustration shows a pulsar (red sphere) and its strong magnetic field (yellow lines). As the stellar remnant rotates, narrow beams of radio waves (cones) sweep across the sky and become detectable as regular signals for observers on Earth. The beams originate close to the magnetic poles (yellow cones) but may also arise from a region farther out (blueish cone), as the new study suggests. The proportions and colours are not realistic and are for illustrative purposes only. © MPIfR

SKAO Science Webinar

The SKAO Science Webinar will take place live twice on 31 March 2026, with sessions scheduled at 07:00 UTC and 15:00 UTC. Each session will last approximately 1.5 hours and will be recorded for those who wish to watch later.

This first webinar of 2026 will include updates on construction and commissioning at SKA-Low and SKA-Mid, the timeline for science operations, plans for science verification, an introduction to SRCNet and data access, and a dedicated Q&A session.

If this is of interest, you can register here

Additional 2026 Webinar dates are schedule on: July 15 and November 24, 2026

17th EVN Symposium & Users’ Meeting: Registration open

The Registration and Abstract Submission is now OPEN for the 17th European VLBI Network Symposium and Users’ Meeting to be held at The University of Manchester, United Kingdom, from the 14th to 18th September 2026.

The EVN Symposium is the main forum for discussion of the latest Very Long Baseline Interferometry scientific results and technical and technological developments within the EVN member countries. The purpose of this biennial meeting is to bring together the global VLBI community to exchange knowledge, share new research, discuss advancements in VLBI techniques, and foster a collaborative community in radio astronomy.

Up to 200 participants are expected, so please register early.

Nature article - Threats to Astronomy

A recent editorial in Nature Astronomy warns that astronomy is facing growing pressures from both technological developments in space and policy decisions on Earth.

The article highlights satellite megaconstellations as a major “threat from above,” noting that their brightness and radio emissions are increasingly contaminating astronomical observations—even for space-based telescopes. Planned large-scale expansions could worsen the situation significantly, potentially affecting nearly all observations. At the same time, “threats from below” include funding uncertainties and shifting political priorities, with recent proposals for substantial budget cuts in major research systems raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of astronomy and its workforce. The editorial concludes that astronomers must take a more active role in advocating for their field, emphasizing that astronomy’s scientific, technological, and societal value makes it essential to protect.

TRAINING EVENTS

Explore upcoming training events, and organizer resources - plus past events and training material.

Find more on our Training webpage.

EVN online training days

Within the framework of the ACME project, JIVE is organising the fourth online training sessions designed to support first-time users of the European VLBI Network (EVN). During these sessions, participants will be guided through key aspects such as proposal preparation, observation planning, and scheduling. Each session will conclude with an open discussion. No prior experience with VLBI or the EVN is required.

Scheduled sessions:

• 22 April 2026, 10:00–12:30 CEST

• 29 April 2026, 10:00–12:30 CEST

Please register for each event separately via the ACME sessions link.

ERIS 2026

The XI European Radio Interferometry School (ERIS 2026) will take place from 7–11 September 2026 in Noto, Sicily (Italy).

ERIS 2026 will feature a full week of lectures and hands-on sessions, providing a comprehensive introduction to radio interferometry. The programme will cover both fundamental concepts and advanced techniques in data processing and analysis, with practical sessions on calibration and imaging across various instruments and frequency ranges. Additional hands-on activities will be tailored based on participants’ interests.

Registration is open until 4 May 2026, with participation limited to 80 attendees. Selected applicants will be notified by 20 May 2026.

ERIS 2026 is sponsored by INAF and the ACME project (funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme)

13th IRAM Interferometry School 2026

The 13th IRAM Millimeter Interferometry School will be held September 28 – October 3, 2026 at the Hotel Mercure Centre Porte des Alpes in Grenoble/France. It is intended for PhD students, post-docs and scientists who want to acquire knowledge of interferometry and data reduction techniques at millimeter wavelengths. Special emphasis will be put on the NOEMA interferometer and its new capabilities.

The program will include presentations on the basics of millimeter interferometry observations, data calibration, and imaging, in addition to practical tutorials on the preparation of proposals and interferometric data reduction and imaging techniques. It is planned to visit the NOEMA observatory on the last day of the school. Presentations given at previous interferometry schools can be found here.

Pre-registration is now open, please fill out the form by May 31, 2026

ESA Archival Research Visitor Programme

ESA invites scientists to apply for the Archival Research Visitor Programme, using data from the ESA Space Science Archives. The programme is open to researchers from ESA Member and Cooperating States, with visits typically lasting 1–3 months at ESAC or ESTEC. Travel, lodging, and meals are supported, and early-career scientists, women, and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. Applications are anonymously evaluated. Deadline: 30 April 2026.

Applications Open for the 3rd CTAO School

The 3rd CTAO School, organized with the MAGIC Collaboration through the ACME Project, will be held in La Palma, Spain (12–22 May 2026), offering hands-on training in VHE astrophysics, data analysis, and observations with the LST-1 and MAGIC Telescopes. More information and the application form are available on the CTAO School website.

ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES

ALMA Cycle 13 Call for Proposals

The ALMA Cycle 13 Call for Proposals (CfP) for scientific observations to be scheduled from October 2026 to September 2027 is open.

Modes and capabilities offered in Cycle 13 will include Large Programs and Band 2 on the 12-m Array. Starting with this Call for Proposals, a new web-based interface to the Observing Tool (OT) replace the old OT for proposal preparation and submission. Find more here.

The Cycle 13 proposal submission deadline is 15:00 UTC on Thursday, 23 April 2026

Image Credit: Alex Pere

2026B CALL FOR PROPOSALS - INAF RADIO TELESCOPES

The Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF) invites scientists to participate in the call for proposals of observing time at the three national radio telescopes:

– the 32-m Medicina antenna (Grueff Radio Telescope)
– the 32-m Noto antenna
– the 64-m Sardinia Radio Telescope

Two observing semesters are scheduled every year: 1st January to 30th June, 1st July to 31st December. Deadlines fall in October and April, respectively.

The proposals will be peer-reviewed and must be submitted before 12:00 UTC on April 14, 2026.

ACME 3rd TNA call: visits to European institutes for multi-messenger astronomy

The call opens on 2 March 2026, with a submission deadline of 2 April 2026 at 17:00 CET. Research visits are expected to take place before the end of November 2026.

All the details of the call and the application form can be found here

European ALMA Regional Centre

The European ALMA Regional Centre (ARC) provides the interface between the ALMA project and the European science community. The ARC is staffed by scientists with expertise in radio astronomy and interferometry and it supports its users throughout the lifetime of a project, from proposal preparation to data analysis.

Westerbork Apertif Long Term Archive

ALTA offers to the world-wide astronomical community free virtual access to data and scientific products produced from all sky surveys of the Northern sky that will be conducted with the new Apertif frontend of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT), as well as tools to query, further exploit and perform data mining of these products adaptable to diverse research goals. .

LOFAR Long Term Archive

LTA is a long-established archive and access facility supporting the international LOFAR telescope. It is currently the largest radio astronomical archive in the world already exceeding 45 PB from LOFAR’s past 10 years of operations. The LTA provides a central and key resource for all observed LOFAR astronomical science programs where the data become public within 12 months of first creation.

ACME Centres of Expertise

Online platform for virtual access to multi-messenger observatories, data analysis, and theoretical interpretation. Services are provided through ACME’s six Joint Centres of Expertise covering Gamma-rays, Gravitational Waves, Neutrinos & Cosmic Rays, Optical & NIR, Radio, and X-rays. Registration is open to all users.

POLICY NEWS

ERC addressing Europe’s research performance gap

The European Research Council highlights a persistent gap between top-performing countries and “widening countries,” where researchers receive only a small share of grants due to structural barriers like lower funding, weaker research systems, and limited networks. Despite some progress through national support schemes and ERC initiatives, the report stresses that coordinated action is needed across Europe to strengthen research capacity without compromising the principle of scientific excellence. Read more

Strict Limits on AI in Grant Evaluation

The European Research Council sets clear boundaries on AI use in grant evaluations, emphasizing that reviewers must not delegate core tasks like summarising proposals or assessing their scientific merit to AI systems. The guidelines are built on principles of non-delegation and confidentiality, prohibiting uploading proposals to external tools while allowing limited use of AI for language editing or general information searches. Read more.

European Parliament Advances Ambitious FP10

Draft reports in the ITRE committee propose a significantly expanded FP10 programme (2028–2034) with a €220 billion budget, stronger independence, and expert-driven priority setting to boost Europe’s research and innovation capacity. The plans introduce new funding instruments, reinforce roles for bodies like the ERC, EIC, and EIT, and aim to simplify procedures while enhancing governance, with negotiations set to shape the final framework later in 2026. (find more Draft Report on the FP10 Regulation Proposal and Draft Report on the FP10 Specific Programme Proposal)

Research Security Monitor 2025 Published

The European Commission has released the Research Security Monitor 2025, providing the first overview of how the 2024 Council Recommendation on research security is being implemented. The report combines a status assessment with numerous practical examples from across EU member states, highlighting how governments, funding agencies, and research institutions are applying security measures. It also presents EU initiatives such as the Centre of Expertise on Research Security. In its conclusion, the report notes that further action is needed at all levels and provides corresponding recommendations.

EC Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030

The European Commission has launched its Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030, building on the previous 2020–2025 plan. The strategy focuses on combating gender-based and cyber violence, engaging men and boys in equality efforts, and promoting inclusive health systems in partnership with the WHO. It also aims to advance economic equality, strengthen women’s political participation, and support global gender equality initiatives. This strategy reinforces the EU’s commitment to achieving fairness and equality across all areas of society.

Call for evidence on the draft for a new GBER

The European Commission has opened a call for evidence on the draft General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), seeking input from citizens, organisations, and public authorities. The revision aims to simplify the GBER, align it with current developments, and improve clarity. Contributions are open in all EU languages until 23 April 2026. Stakeholders can submit their input to help shape the European Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures.