Astrophysics

Bright flashes of lensed starlight guide the way more

New radio observations of molecular gas reveal how dozens of galaxies rapidly merge together in the early universe. more

The cosmic particle that struck earth in 2021 with the second-highest energy ever measured may have originated in the nearby galaxy m82 more

Observations with the Event Horizon Telescope enable researchers to localize the likely base of the central outflow in a massive galaxy more

Astrophysicists discover largest sulfur-containing molecular compound in space more

At the end of 2024, ESA’s Solar Orbiter was lucky to witness a strong solar flare – and observed the events leading up to this firework with unprecedented precision. more

New astronomical survey captures previously unknown growing pains in the lives of planets more

Astronomers have repeatedly observed events near a distant star that mirror processes from the early solar system’s planet-forming era more

SPHERE’s images of dust around distant stars provide a glimpse of asteroids and comets in other solar systems more

The spin-off VM Photonics GmbH delivers ultra-stable and 10 times purer laser light for high-precision optical measurements more

Geoffrey Andama was a mentee in the first round of the ARTEMIS program in 2023. Since September 2025, he has headed the Max Planck-Humboldt Research Unit at Muni University in Uganda. The new unit is dedicated to developing astrophysics and astronomy across Africa. In this interview, Andama talks about his path into science, the role of mentoring, and his vision for astronomy on the continent. more

Interview with Marumi Kado on the future of particle physics and the origin of everything more

How the world of the smallest particles is structured, what is known about fundamental forces, and what particles have to do with the Big Bang more

A new class of supermassive black holes embedded in a thick gas shell could explain small red dots in images from the James Webb Space Telescope more

Astronomical images not only look beautiful, they also provide a wealth of information. What's behind it and what distinguishes four prominent telescopes? An overview. more

The American astronomer fundamentally advanced our knowledge of galactic dynamics, laid the groundwork for dark matter research, and was a lifelong advocate for women in science more

The sight of a bright comet has fascinated people at all times. But what is behind such a celestial spectacle? It was only in modern times that researchers discovered the phenomenon - by which time the tail stars had already had a long career as bringers of bad luck or divine messengers. more

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2023 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

The Euclid space telescope contains technology from two Max Planck Institutes more

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2022 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

Interview with Reinhard Genzel, director at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) and architect of the 30-year programme that led to the discovery of the Schwarzschild precession around the black hole at the heart of our Milky Way. Genzel describes the general relativity effect observed by his team and how it can be used to study the galactic gravity trap.Reinhard Genzel receives the Nobel Prize for Physics 2020
Digital Story: Reinhard Genzel more