Latest Thinking

An Introduction to MPIA

May 13, 2024

A video series on the research topics and working groups at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

Big Bang Theory Made in Heidelberg

January 17, 2024

In the beginning was light – around 13.8 billion years ago, the Big Bang marked the beginning of the history of our cosmos. How could stars and galaxies suddenly appear out of the darkness? What did the light of the first day look like? Hans-Walter Rix has been asking himself these questions for over two decades. The James Webb Space Telescope…

Secondary Eclipses and Phase Curves

July 26, 2023

Laura Kreidberg introduces exoplanet observing techniques that help to characterize their compositions and atmospheres. Observing secondary eclipses and phase curves are particularly powerful. Various examples from recent research illustrate what these observations can tell us about those planets.

MPIA's Role in the Euclid Mission

June 30, 2023

Euclid

This video introduces the team at MPIA working on Euclid, an ESA mission designed to explore the composition and evolution of the dark universe. This space telescope is set to launch on 1 July 2023 at 17:11 h CEST from Cape Canaveral using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. MPIA is a member of the Euclid Consortium and has been involved in the project…

Organic Molecules in Cold Space

June 30, 2023

Thomas Henning reports on organic molecules in space as part of the 2023 Academic Lunch Break of the STRUCTURES Cluster of Excellence at the University of Heidelberg. He explains how chemical reactions can occur in extremely cold environments and what significance they have in astrophysics and the study of the foundations of life.

Our biggest eye in space: Thomas Henning

June 28, 2023

The James Webb Space Telescope allows us to see what kind of molecules exist in the regions where planets are forming, and offers an insight into how the building-blocks for complex organic molecules arrived on Earth. MPIA director Thomas Henning tells us about the discovery of water in the planet-forming disk of young star PDS-70, as well as how…

Our biggest eye in space: Laura Kreidberg

June 28, 2023

The James Webb Space Telescope allows us to characterize the atmospheres of distant exoplanets like never before - including the seven rocky planets orbiting red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1. In this video, MPIA director Laura Kreidberg describes the some of the exciting new findings made in this field using JWST data, and what was discovered on planets…

Our biggest eye in space

May 02, 2023

Opening event of the travelling exhibition “Our biggest eye in space” by the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and the Haus der Astronomie about the James Webb Space Telescope – live from the Planetarium Mannheim, the first station of the exhibition. Keynote speaker Prof. Dr. Thomas Henning from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy will report…

The James Webb Telescope and the search for exoplanets

November 04, 2022

In this Deutsche Welle TV feature, Laura Kreidberg describes how she explores exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope.

Towards Molecular Complexity

November 01, 2022

In this talk, Thomas Henning explains the findings on biochemistry that led to the origin of life on Earth and possibly on other celestial bodies. The talk was a contribution to the conference “Life In The Universe” in Sofia, Bulgaria in October 2022.

Large telescopes up to the James Webb Space Telescope

October 11, 2022

In his lecture, Thomas Henning presents the development of large telescopes. He also discusses the ELT (Extremely Large Telescope) and the James Webb Space Telescope.

Planets are places

May 27, 2022

In this talk, Laura Kreidberg discusses future exploration of the atmospheres of Earth-like rocky planets.

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