Brief News
A thesis about the PANIC camera is awarded the 2020 MERAC prize in new technologies
March 9th 2020
The optical engineer Concepción Cárdenas Vázquez has been awarded the MERAC Prize for the Best Doctoral Thesis in New Technologies (Instrumental) by the European Astronomical Society (EAS)
The thesis encompasses the development of PANIC, an infrared, wide-field camera that operated and is being upgraded for the Calar Alto Observatory
FONDATION MERAC (Mobilising European Research in Astrophysics and Cosmology) and the European Astronomical Society (EAS) awards biyearly the MERAC prize to the best thesis developed in Europe, an award that seeks to promote innovative research in astrophysics and cosmology and support young researchers. The prize, 25,000 euros, in the category of New Technologies, Instrumental, has been awarded in 2020 to the thesis of Concepción Cárdenas "PANIC, a large field infrared camera for Calar Alto", developed at the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC).
Calar Alto awarded the best international presence by the Diario de Almeria newspaper
19 November 2019
The Diaro de Almeria newspaper, which celebrates its 50th anniversary, has given Calar Alto the prize for the best international presence brought by the observatory to the Almería province – since its start as the German-Spanish Astronomical Center back in 1975, until its latest findings as the Hispanic Astronomical Center in Andalusia, operated jointly by the Spanish Superior Research Council (through IAA/CSIC, the Institute of Astrophysics in Andalusia in Granada) and Junta de Andalucía since 2019.
David Galadí Enríquez wins the Hoag/Robinson Award from the International Dark-Sky Association
October 10th, 2019
David Galadí Enríquez, resident astronomer at Calar Alto Observatory, is one of the winners of the 2019 edition of the yearly awards given by the International Dark-Sky Association.
These prizes recognize «the incredible achievements of individuals and groups who are committed to our mission to preserve and protect the night» and their roles in «strengthening the global movement and empowering others to join the fight against light pollution».