iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The NEOWISE mission may have ended, but our team’s work lives on in space forever.🚀 Some IPAC staff have been officially designated as minor planets!☄️It's an honor to celebrate this milestone and carry forward Carl Grillmair's legacy.✨ ww.wgsbn-iau.org/files/Bulletins/V006/WGSBNBull_V006_015.pdf

This is a group photo of five people standing against a white wall and looking and smiling at the camera while each holding a plaque of their Minor Planet designation. The individuals are (from viewer's left to right): Chris Gelino, Roc Cutri (holding Carl Grillmair's plaque), Marcy Harbut, Sergio Fajardo-Acosta, and J. Davy Kirkpatrick.

This image contains a plaque dedicated to an asteroid officially designated (872236) CARLGRILLMAIR. There are three color images of space, each containing a small red circle indicated the minor planet named after the IPAC researcher Carl Grillmair. The text on the plaque reads: Discovery: 2015-04-12 / WISE / WISE / C51
Citation: Carl Grillmair (1959-2026) was a Canadian-American astronomer working at IPAC at Caltech. His research focused on galactic halos and stellar debris streams, and he used survey data to identify dozens of tidal stellar streams around the Milky Way. Carl was a member of the Spitzer Science Center Team, and the WISE, NEOWISE, and NEO Surveyor Science Data Center. Image credit: Marcy Harbut (Caltech/IPAC)

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The Coronagraph Instrument on NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope passed its first in-space checkout! The instrument powered on earlier this month & the team here at IPAC at @caltech.edu has been commanding the instrument and receiving data from space. 🔭 roman.ipac.caltech.edu/news/nasa-ac...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Scoops After Launch! 🚀🍦😋 The Roman Science Support Center (SSC) at IPAC celebrated #NASARoman's launch with an ice cream social—marking years of work behind us and exciting science still ahead. #ExpandingOurView 🔭

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (#NHFP) is taking applications for 2027!🔭 Grad students and postdocs within ~4 years of their PhDs may apply for one of 24 planned awards. NExScI at IPAC leads the program's Sagan/exoplanet component. Apply by 4 pm PDT Oct. 28, 2026. www.stsci.edu/stsci-resear...

This graphic lists important information about the 2027 Announcement of Opportunity for the NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (NHFP). Fellows receive three years of fully funded support to conduct independent NASA Astrophysics research at a US host institution, and 24 new fellowship awards are planned for 2027. Each award includes full salary, benefits, and travel and research allowance. Application deadline is 4 p.m. PDT / 7 p.m. EDT October 28, 2026.

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

#NASARoman’s Coronagraph Instrument is powered on and being tested as we speak 🔋 ⚡️ 🔭 Check out these photos from the Coronagraph Command Center at IPAC, right when we confirmed that the instrument turned on! roman.ipac.caltech.edu/news/nasa-ro...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

👏IRSA Appoints New Leadership👏 Huge congrats to Anastasia Laity on her new role as @irsaipac.bsky.social Task Lead at IPAC! She’ll be guiding the science archive's cloud evolution and data operations for major upcoming NASA missions.🚀🔭 www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/irsa-appoints-new-leadership

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Hands-On Science: OpenUniverse2024 Roman and @vrubinobs.bsky.social Simulations Learn how Fornax and Python Jupyter notebooks can be used to develop scalable workflows for combining complementary survey data. 🔭 📅 Sept. 15, 2026 | 10 am PDT 🪙Free! 🔗Register by Aug. 31 at forms.gle/pcR5QkbTfpXrqJKp9

This graphic provides information about an upcoming event. Yellow text in the top third says Hands-On Science With Roman & Rubin Simulations; blue text in the bottom third says "Free Virtual Workshop, Sept. 15, 2026, 10 am PDT, Register by Aug. 31, 2026." In the middle third is a partial screenshot image of the Fornax science platform showing different datasets and workflows. The background image of the graphic is an image of outer space punctuated with stars and galaxies.

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

It's been a blast hosting Alex Rodriguez as a Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellow this summer! Alex joined us in Pasadena from @umich.edu to hunt dark matter filaments connected to #galactic clusters with @kylefinner.bsky.social & Andreas Faisst.🌌🔭www.ipac.caltech.edu/page/graduate-fellowship

This color image shows a young man from the shoulders up smiling directly at the camera. He has dark, tightly curled hair and is wearing a dark, thin-framed pair of eyeglasses and a mustard-yellow T-shirt. The background is a soft-focus, shallow depth-of-field view of green leafy plants and foliage, with some architectural elements faintly visible, suggesting an outdoor garden or park setting during the daytime. The lighting is soft and natural. On the bottom-left corner of the image is text that says 2026 IPAC Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellow; in the bottom-right corner is an orange box with text that says "Alex Rodriguez University of Michigan Using weak lensing to detect cosmic filament IPAC Advisors: Andreas Faisst & Kyle Finner."

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

#TBT to an incredible week at #AAS248 in our hometown of Pasadena! IPAC brought the heat (and the infrared) with groundbreaking science, packed rooms, big announcements, and a reason to party! 🔭 See you at the next AAS in Salt Lake City!

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

What a star-studded celebration!✨🔭 We're still over the Moon from celebrating #IPAC40 at #AAS248! Nearly 300 people joined our party to enjoy food, drinks, and stamping their Passports to IPAC to win merch. Huge thanks to the sponsor, @baesystems.com! Here's to 40 more years of discovery!🥂🚀🛰️🌌

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

XLSSC 122 is the cosmic rule-breaker scientists didn’t see coming🫣 This is the earliest galaxy cluster to exhibit strong gravitational lensing, bending light from galaxies behind it, and breaking the record of the previous oldest cluster by a few billion years! www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/new-jws...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

At #AAS248, astronomer and former IPAC Director George Helou gave a fantastic plenary talk, mapping 40 years of infrared astronomy and IPAC's pivotal role in the field. As we celebrate #IPAC40 this year, we look back on IRAS and Spitzer—and look ahead to Roman, NEO Surveyor, and the next 40 years!

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

CoRoT-2 b is flipping the script 😵‍💫 ❤️‍🔥 🔭 Typically, hot Jupiters are tidally locked, meaning one side always faces their star. But new research from Aurora Kesseli, staff scientist at NExScI, suggests CoRoT-2 b isn't tidally locked! www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/oddball...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Euclid captures the Milky Way’s crowded heart 📸 🧡 🔭 The largest and most detailed visible light image ever made of the center of our Milky Way is revealed by @esa.int’s Euclid mission 🎉 Quick Release 2 data is now available in @irsaipac.bsky.social ! euclid.caltech.edu/news/esa-s-e...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Another #AAS248 double header for you! Two special sessions at 2pm today: 🤝 40 Years of Community Engagement at IPAC: Lessons Learned (Ballroom F) 📊 The Euclid Mission: Science Highlights and Preparation for Data Release 1 (Ballroom G) 🔭 www.ipac.caltech.edu/page/aas248

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Are you ready to P A R T Y #AAS248? 🥳 💃 🔭 It’s IPAC’s 40th birthday this year & we’re celebrating with free food, drinks, and #IPAC40 prizes! Grab your “Passport to the Universe” and join us: ⌚️ 6:30-8:00pm 📍 Conference Center Room 106 (bldg opposite of expo hall & downstairs)

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

✨Wednesday #AAS248 Plenary: The Cosmic Infrared Window✨ Join former IPAC Director George Helou for a look at over four decades of infrared astronomy: the connective science threads, the technology that powers it, and IPAC's vital role in the ecosystem. 🚀 🕒 11:40 am to 12:30 pm 📍 Ballroom D/E

this is an image of a sign at the 248th meeting of the American Astronomical Society listing the scheduled plenary talks during the event held in Pasadena, California

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Time to go into quantum superposition ‘cause you’re going to want to attend both of these 2 pm Tuesday #AAS248 special sessions! 🔭👩‍💻💫 🤖 AI-Driven Science in the Survey Era bit.ly/4a0oXoX 🛰️Science with the All-Sky SPHEREx Mission bit.ly/4vNzqfO #astromethods #galactic #extragalactic #ipac40

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

We're making AstroFetch happen!🐾 If you're joining us in Pasadena for #AAS248, come and test-drive NExScI's new natural-language chatbot for astronomical data archives! 🤖💬 AstroFetch is currently in a closed beta, but you can get a hands-on demo at IPAC's booth. 🔭✨

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

🚨PRIMA Special Session TODAY @ #AAS248🚨 Discover how this game-changing far-IR mission concept can help your research! With 75%+ of observing time open to General Observers, @prima-probe.bsky.social will unlock unprecedented science.🔭 ⌚2pm Monday, 6/15 📍Ballroom G ✨Stop by the IPAC booth for swag!

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Welcome to Pasadena, #AAS248 ☀️ We’re looking forward to greeting friends and colleagues in our hometown! Come say hi at our #IPAC40 booth in the expo hall 👋 or check out all of the IPAC activities here: www.ipac.caltech.edu/page/aas248 🔭 ☄️

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

From the Euclid and Fornax #AAS248 workshops today: “Downloading large volumes of data is boring. Skip to the fun part, which is playing with the data!” Dive into the cloud! ☁️ 🔭 ☄️ science.nasa.gov/astrophysics... irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/Missions/euc... @irsaipac.bsky.social

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Looking forward to #AAS248 next week…and our #IPAC40 PARTY! 🥂🥳 We're celebrating 40 years of IPAC with food, drinks, activities, and merch! Join us on Wednesday, June 17 @ 6:30-8:00 p.m. More details here: www.ipac.caltech.edu/page/aas248 🔭☄️#astrocode #exoplanet #galactic #extragalactic

This image is a digital flyer for IPAC's 40th anniversary celebration happening on Wednesday, June 17 at the Pasadena Convention Center during the 248th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. The image says "Join us as we celebrate 40 Years of IPAC!"

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Super-Earths and sub-Neptunes are fairly common across our galaxy, but they don’t appear in our own solar system. Their size ranges fall in between Earth and Neptune. 🔭 Credit: Keith Miller (Caltech/IPAC/SELab)

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

IPAC Annual Picnic: 40th Anniversary Edition ✨ The dessert bake-off during the picnic is IPAC’s sweetest tradition 🍰 @kevinkhu.bsky.social’s “#ipac40 Cosmic Brownies” won first place, and Chris Gelino’s “Retro Lemon Curd Cake” won the people’s choice award!

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Say hello to @brandonradzom.bsky.social from @iubloomington.bsky.social, who joins us as a 2026 Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellow! Brandon is working with IPAC's @kevinkhu.bsky.social on using NASA's TESS to learn more about the most common types of exoplanets in our galaxy. 🛰️🪐#VGSRF

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Ready to scale your science?☁️🔭 Join our #AAS248 workshop on Fornax, NASA’s new cloud-based astrophysics science platform! 🔹Sunday, June 14 | 2–4 PM 🔹Access & analyze NASA astrophysics data in the cloud 🔹Explore HATS/Parquet workflows 👉Add the workshop to your meeting registration by May 21!

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

The Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellows have landed! 🚀🔭 @jayke.io joins us in Pasadena to work on the forward modeling of JWST's aperture mask interferometry (AMI) mode to uncover the inner regions of planetary systems. 🪐🪐🪐🛰️ More on #VGSRF: www.ipac.caltech.edu/page/graduate-fellowship-2027

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

We're proud to name Harry Teplitz as IPAC’s new Head of Science Staff and Roberta Paladini as Deputy Head!👏🔭 They will lead our scientific community by advocating for research, mentoring staff, and fostering career growth across the center. Details: www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/harry-t...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

How do you explore the most crowded area of the Milky Way? With precision and persistence 🔭 @nancyromansci.bsky.social is gearing up to study this region with the Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey. Read more about Roman's observing plans & IPAC's role here: roman.ipac.caltech.edu/news/journey...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Congrats to the #NHFP class of 2026! These 24 early-career scientists have been selected for the 2026 NASA Hubble Fellowship Program! Einstein, Hubble, and Sagan fellows represent the next generation of leaders in astrophysics. NExScI at IPAC supports the Sagan Fellows. 🌟🔭 go.nasa.gov/47lUaBA

The class of 2026 NHFP Fellows is shown in this photo montage. The Einstein Fellows appear in the blue hexagons, the Hubble Fellows in the purple hexagons, and the Sagan Fellows in the teal hexagons.
Artwork: NASA, ESA, Joyce Kang (STScI)

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

World-class research+world-class art=@nature.com Astro cover. This supergroup collab between @kiss-caltech.bsky.social & Keith Miller from IPAC’s Science Engagement Lab is a fusion of science and vision. They celebrated by signing their masterpiece.🖊️🔭 www.nature.com/natastron/volumes/10/issues/3

This is a photo of five men standing side by side, each smiling and holding a color print of the March 2026 Nature Astronomy cover featuring their work. The individuals are (left to right): Stuart Shaklan, Ahmed Soliman, Keith Miller, Eliad Peretz, and John Mather. Image credit: Harriet Brettle/Caltech-Keck Institute for Space Studies

In this image, IPAC multimedia artist Keith Miller (left) stands next to Nobel Prize laureate John Mather (right), and both look at a color print of the Nature Astronomy cover art Miller is holding. Image credit: Harriet Brettle/Caltech-Keck Institute for Space Studies

This is a photo of the March 2026 Nature Astronomy cover with signatures from the artist, Keith Miller, and the four study leads whose work is being featured: Ahmed Soliman, Stuart Shaklan, Eliad Peretz, and John Mather. The journal's cover art depicts a ground-based telescope sending a laser to a space-borne shade that is blocking the Sun's light, making it easier to observe nearby planets. The text on the cover says "Imaging a nearby habitable world from the ground." Image credit: Harriet Brettle/Caltech-Keck Institute for Space Studies.

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Charting The Infrared Universe Symposium Celebrate George Helou’s 30+ year legacy at IPAC on March 30! ✨🔭 Join us for a hybrid symposium on the future of space-based astronomy. Attendance is free, but registration is required by March 16. events.ipac.caltech.edu/chartingtheinfrareduniverse

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

After just 365 days in space, there is already a wealth of data (60 TB & counting!) to explore at @irsaipac.bsky.social, the home for all of the 102 infrared wavelengths SPHEREx can observe. 🔭

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Happy first space birthday, SPHEREx! 🥳 One year ago today, SPHEREx launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on March 11, 2025. 🔭🧵

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

IPAC's Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellowship (#VGSRF) is accepting applications! ✨Gain research experience and mentoring from IPAC scientists ✨Access large science datasets🔭 ✨Receive a monthly stipend Browse the projects and apply by 3/31: www.ipac.caltech.edu/page/graduate-fellowship-2027

This image contains information about the 2027 IPAC Visiting Graduate Student Research Fellowship (VGSRF) program. The Call for Applications is now open for graduate students who hold U.S. citizenship, national, or permanent resident status by the application deadline, which is Mrach 31, 2026. Applicants may be currently enrolled at US or non-US institutions. Learn more about the program at https://www.ipac.caltech.edu/page/graduate-fellowship-2027.

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Our IPAC community is in shock at the sudden loss of our colleague and friend, Carl Grillmair. His curiosity and dedication shaped IPAC in countless ways. We've dedicated our science talk series, The Next Seven Minutes, to his memory.🔭 www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/ipac-mourns-passing-of-carl-grillmair

This is an image of Caltech astrophysicist Carl Grillmair.

Visual description: The image focuses on Carl's head and shoulders; he is wearing a white shirt with gray stripes with short sleeves, and he is looking directly at the camera and smiling. Carl has a busy brownish-red bear and hair and with gray eyes.

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

⏰Time to Register for #sagan2026⏰ The hybrid workshop focuses on expected #exoplanet science from the @nasaromantelescope.bsky.social Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey. Travel support requests for early-career participants are due 3/5. nexsci.caltech.edu/workshop/2026 🔭 #astrocode #instrumentation

This image is a composite of artist's illustrations of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope pointing towards a lengthy collection of exoplanets against a background image of the Galactic Plane. The text says "2026 Sagan Summer Workshop" and the theme "Exoplanets with Roman Surveys: Microlensing and Transits July 20-24, 2026, Pasadena, California" followed by the hashtag #sagan2026.

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

#OTD 40 years ago, IPACers moved to @caltech.edu campus! This memo details the move to IPAC (the Morrisroe building) the week of February 3rd, 1986. Before moving, IPACers worked in an office building on Lake Avenue, a few blocks from Caltech. #IPAC40 🔭

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Big applause for the SPHEREx mission team for receiving the Explorers Club's 2026 Sylvia A. Earle Award for Exploration Excellence!👏👏👏 The award recognizes the mission's accomplishment of completing the first infrared map of the sky in 102 colors. 🌈🔭🏆 www.explorers.org/ecad-2026-awardees

This graphic contains two images. On the left is an illustration of the SPHEREx space telescope with an infrared view of space in the background. On the right is an all-sky mosaic image as an elliptical projection based on spectral data collected by the telescope between May and December 2025.

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Another #AAS247 🔭 in the books = another wonderful, whirlwind of exciting astronomy happening and coming soon! 💨 From topics like Roman, Euclid, and SPHEREx, to NExScI, NED, IRSA, NITARP, Firefly, PRIMA, and SHERA — there was something for everyone. Thank you to all!

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

IPAC scientist Vivian U presented on wobbly black holes at her #AAS247 press conference! This work offers new insights into how galaxies evolve, and it was published in @science.org on Jan. 8, 2026 Read more here: www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/astrono...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

IPACer @aussiastronomer.bsky.social & team shared the SHERA Mission Concept at #AAS247 🦸‍♀️ 🔭 Searching for Habitable Exoplanets with Relative Astrometry (SHERA) will look for rocky planets in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars for the 1st time & potentially discover the nearest Earth-like planets!

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

We're thrilled to welcome @caltech.edu President-Elect Ray Jayawardhana! As a grad student, Jayawardhana (a.k.a RayJay) attended the first Michelson Interferometry Summer School in 1999. Today, it lives on as NExScI's Sagan Summer Workshop—and both the workshop and RayJay are still going strong.🔭🚀

This is a group photo of the participants of the first Michelson Interferometry Summer School held on the Caltech campus in 1999. The group photo shows ~58 people standing in the shade in front of a campus building, smiling and looking at the camera that is taking the picture. The group is outside and flanked by small trees and other green landscaping. Image credit: Caltech/IPAC-NExScI

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

At #AAS247, IPAC scientist Andreas Faisst presented at a press conference on Jan. 6. His work shows that early galaxies are maturing faster than researchers previously believed. "It's like seeing 2-year-old children act like teenagers." www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/young-g... @press.aas.org @aas.org

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Educators + students present at #AAS247! NITARP continues its 20-year program of pairing educators with astronomers for year-long, authentic research projects using NASA data. They presented their results to fellow researchers at IPAC's booth.🚀🔭📊 www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/teachin...

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Are you at #AAS247 & interested in submitting a Roman proposal? 🔭 Come to the "Roman Space Telescope Proposal and Science Planning" splinter session Tuesday Jan. 6 at 10:0am - 12:00pm MT. Find the call for proposals here: roman-docs.ipac.caltech.edu/roman-propos... @nancyromansci.bsky.social

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

IPAC has landed in the desert 🏜️ Come say hello to your favorite science and data center in the expo hall at #AAS247 in Phoenix, AZ! @aas.org @press.aas.org 🔭

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

⭐️ ⛄️ Happy Holidays from IPAC! ❄️ 🪐 While we get excited to celebrate 40 years of IPAC at Caltech in 2026, we're looking back at some of the highlights of 2025. Check them out here: www.ipac.caltech.edu/holiday-card 🔭

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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope has completed its first infrared map of the entire sky! This is the most comprehensive spectral view of the infrared sky, with 102 colors (or wavelengths) of infrared light from observations made between May and December 2025. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭

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