Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie
Observer et comprendre l'Univers
Who are we ?
IRAP teams work on the study and understanding of the Universe and its content: the Earth as a planet, its ionized spatial environment, the sun and its planets, the stars and their planetary systems, the interstellar environment, galaxies, compact objects, the very first stars and the primordial Big Bang. This is done through observation, modeling and theory, instrumentation and laboratory experiments.
With a staff of technical personnel qualified in the field of design, construction, integration and operation of instruments on the ground and in space, IRAP is a major center of instrumentation in astrophysics , at an international level. He also participates in numerous national observation services (SNO) of INSU.
This Joint Research Unit (JRU 5277) is affiliated with the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Paul Sabatier University – Toulouse III (UPS), and also has the supervision of the National Center for Space Studies (CNES). It is also a member of the Midi-Pyrénées Observatory (OMP).
Last news
MicroLIBS: a small French instrument with big ambitions for Mars exploration
Following the success of French contributions to NASA’s Mars rovers, CNES and IRAP are developing a miniaturized version of these instruments for future Mars and Moon missions. If you follow […]
Detection of a complex magnetic field on the surface of the intermediate-mass star Vega
A decade of ultra-deep observations at Pic du Midi and the Haute-Provence Observatory Vega, the prototype of intermediate-mass stars, has revealed after more than a decade of observations a double […]
Unprecedented mineral and organic compounds discovered in Mars’ Jezero Crater
The Perseverance rover has uncovered sedimentary rocks containing minerals and organic matter organized into structures never before seen on Mars, opening up new perspectives on the Red Planet’s past habitability. […]
Juno identifies the missing auroral footprint of the moon Callisto at Jupiter’s poles
Since July 2016, the Juno mission orbiting Jupiter has been studying the properties and physical mechanisms of auroral imprints. A study recently published in the journal Nature Communications shows that […]
Deep long-period earthquakes discovered beneath Massif Central volcanoes
A recent study published in Geophysical Research Letters reveals atypical seismic signals beneath the volcanoes of the Massif Central. These signals, combined with the active presence of magma at depth, […]
Ganymede and Callisto: frozen destinies with divergent origins
Two icy moons of Jupiter, although similar in size and proximity, have radically different internal structures. A new study suggests that this dichotomy has its origins in their formation, challenging […]
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