
The “Strategic Plan for European Astronomy” Ranks the CTAO as Highest Priority in Ground-based Astronomy
April 2023
The recently-released ASTRONET Science Vision and Infrastructure Roadmap 2022-2035 includes the CTAO as the top-ranked priority amongst new ground-based infrastructure projects. The strategic plan highlights that “as the first true large-scale observatory targeting these [very high] energies, it [the CTAO] is expected to lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of the origins and production of non-thermal particles in the Universe.” The ASTRONET roadmap provides an overview of the status of European Astronomy, as well as recommendations to funding agencies for the next decade, based on the priorities of the community.
->Read the full announcement on the CTAO website.
Image: Gabriel Pérez Díaz (IAC)/Marc-André Besel (CTAO)/ESO/ N. Risinger (skysurvey.org)
Stuart McMuldroch, Designated Director General for the future CTAO ERIC, Joins the Management Board of the CTAO gGmbH
April 2023
Dr. Stuart McMuldroch has been appointed as the second Managing Director of the Management Board of the CTAO gGmbH, starting from 30 April 2023, alongside the Observatory’s existing Director, Prof. Federico Ferrini. McMuldroch and Ferrini will work together on the final steps of the Observatory’s legal entity transition, from a gGmbH (under German law) to a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC, under European law). McMuldroch was recently selected as the first Director General of the CTAO ERIC by the Board of Governmental Representatives (BGR), a position he will officially assume when the ERIC is established in mid-2023. By joining the Management Board of the CTAO gGmbH now, McMuldroch will help prepare for the establishment of the CTAO ERIC and the resulting transition of the project to the construction phase in the most effective way.
->Read the full article on the CTAO website.
Image: Giant Magellan Telescope Observatory (GMTO)
Evento en Granada el 27 de Abril para Explorar la Ciencia Abierta y Oportunidades con el CTAO
April 2023
El jueves 27 de abril a las 12:00 CEST, el Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) y el Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC) celebrarán un evento gratuito y abierto para investigadores interesados en la Ciencia Abierta y posibles sinergias con el CTAO, así como para estudiantes de grado, máster y doctorado que deseen desarrollarse profesionalmente en el campo de la Astrofísica de muy altas energías. El seminario, que tendrá lugar en la sede del IAA-CSIC (Granada, España), reunirá a Roberta Zanin (Responsable Científica del CTAO), Juan Cortina (Coordinador de CTA-España), Rubén López-Coto (Co-Investigador Principal del Proyecto CTA en el IAA-CSIC) y Francisco Colomer (Coordinador de la Presidencia Española del Consejo de la UE en el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación) para hablar sobre las últimas novedades en el desarrollo de la Ciencia Abierta con el CTAO, incluyendo el uso innovador de la inteligencia artificial aplicada a la Astrofísica, y salidas profesionales y sinergias con el proyecto de construcción y operación del CTAO.
->Read the full article on the CTAO website.
The LST Collaboration Publishes its first Scientific Paper with Data from the LST-1
March 2023
On March 6, the LST Collaboration published its first scientific paper in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal. The paper focuses on a multi-wavelength study of the unidentified ultra-high-energy gamma-ray source known as LHAASO J2108+5157. For the analysis, the LST Collaboration used 49 hours of data obtained with the LST-1, the prototype of the Large-Sized Telescope (LST) currently under commissioning at CTAO-North on La Palma (Spain). While the analysis did not result in any significant detection, the multi-wavelength approach, combining data from the LST-1 and other instruments, allowed the team to set strict upper limits on the source’s emission that help shed light on its nature.
->Read the full article on the CTAO website.
Image credit: Tomohiro Inada
The MST Structure Successfully Undergoes its Critical Design and Manufacturing Review
November 2022
From 8-10 November 2022, a panel of CTAO and external experts conducted the Critical Design and Manufacturing Review (CDMR) of the Medium-Sized Telescope (MST) structure in Berlin (Germany). After the evaluation, the panel concluded that the MST structure has successfully undergone the review and that the CDMR will be considered officially passed after completing a few high-priority action items. This technical gate review ensures that the design of the MST meets the CTAO specifications and requirements.
->Read the full article on the CTAO website.
Image credit: DESY
“ESCAPE to the Future” Event Recommits CTAO and ESCAPE Partners in Collaboration for Open Science
October 2022
The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), in partnership with some of Europe’s biggest facilities in physics-related disciplines, has just recommitted to a long-term deal to collaborate on Open Science topics, from science data management to developing science tools, services and research software, among others. The agreement was signed at the “ESCAPE to the Future” conference on October 25-26, 2022, where partners of the European Science Cluster of Astronomy & Particle physics ESFRI research infrastructure (ESCAPE) project, as well as members of the scientific community and the European Commission, gathered at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science in Brussels (Belgium).
Image credit: ESCAPE