Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

First atmosphere detected on a habitable-zone rocky world

In a major milestone in the search for life on other planets, astronomers have detected, for the first time, an atmosphere ...
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Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory - Mt. Hopkins, AZ

From its establishment in 1966 as the Smithsonian Mount Hopkins Observatory, FLWO has hosted a world-class suite of telescopes designed for a wide variety of purposes. The largest visible-light ...
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Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS)

Gamma rays don’t pierce Earth’s atmosphere, but when they strike the air, they produce faint flashes of visible light. The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) is a set of ...
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REU FAQ

Application Content Questions: If you can't find an answer to your question at our FAQ page, please email us at [email protected]. Please check your SPAM folder for email from ...
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SAO/NSF Solar REU Program

This summer, scientists from the Solar and Stellar X-Ray Group (SSXG) and the Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Group (SSP) at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) will host ...
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Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)

Black holes in the modern sense were first predicted as a consequence of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity in 1915. These objects are so dense, they are surrounded by a boundary called an ...
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Cosmic Eruption Caught in the Act by Submillimeter Array’s New Fastest Response System

Cambridge, MA (June 30, 2026) — On January 26, 2026, the Submillimeter Array (SMA) on Maunakea crossed an important threshold for time‑domain astronomy. For the first time, scientists from the Center ...
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Raveena Khan wins honourable mention Ph.D. prize from the International Astronomical Union

Cambridge, MA (July 2026) — The International Astronomical Union has awarded the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s visiting scientist, Raveena Khan, the 2025 IAU Division E (Sun and Heliosphere) ...
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Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR)

Understanding climate change requires an understanding of Earth as a planet. The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) is a joint NASA-NOAA space observatory with two tasks: real-time tracking of ...
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Founding Gift Launches Smithsonian Scientists Taking Astronomy to Rural Schools (STARS) in Rhode Island

A gift from Keith and Kathleen Cardoza will supply rural schools with telescopes and curricula to help students learn about space. Outer space may be silent, but Kathleen Cardoza has always been able ...
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CfA Publications

Each week, CfA scientists publish new research across the span of astronomy, astrophysics, astrochemistry, geosciences and engineering. Explore our most cutting-edge work with the descriptions below.
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Radio and Geoastronomy

The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Radio & Geoastronomy (R&G) division explores the Universe using the low-energy portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, including the radio, ...