The Coronagraph Instrument on @NASARoman passed its first in-space checkout!
The instrument powered on earlier this month, and the team here at IPAC at @Caltech has been commanding the instrument and receiving data from space.
🔗 roman.ipac.caltech.edu/news/…
NASA has selected PRIMA, a far-infrared space observatory designed to reveal the cold, dusty universe hidden from visible-light telescopes.
Caltech, JPL, and IPAC will play key roles in the mission, targeted to launch in the 2030s.
Read more: caltech.edu/about/news/nasa-…
Scoops After Launch! 🚀🍦😋
The @NASARoman Science Support Center (SSC) at IPAC celebrated #NASARoman's launch with an ice cream social —marking years of work behind us and exciting science still ahead. #ExpandingOurView
ALT A family of four wearing astronomy-themed outfits pose together with their ice cream treats in front of an ice cream truck.
ALT Four adults (two women, two men) and two small children pose for a group photo while sitting at a picnic table.
ALT A group of about 30 people are gathered in a park under a shady canopy of oaks, either standing or sitting on benches, while listening to IPAC Executive Director Tom Greene, who is standing and facing the crowd.
Reminder: NASA IRTF Call for Proposals - Open until Oct. 1 for Semester 2027A (Feb. 1 - July 31)
For full information, see irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/obser…
The IRTF web services are recovered from the impacts of the recent extreme weather events and observatory operations have resumed.
⚡️ @NASARoman's Coronagraph Instrument is powered on and being tested as we speak 🔋
Check out these photos from the Coronagraph Command Center at IPAC, right when we confirmed that the instrument turned on!
roman.ipac.caltech.edu/news/…
What's so cool about the Roman Coronagraph?
Well, it's the first *active* coronagraph in space, meaning that it can adjust itself on the fly to help scientists get the clearest glare-free images.
The @NASARoman Space Telescope is set to launch on Sunday, Aug. 30!
ALT An engineer at JPL looks at the Roman Coronagraph Instrument's fast steering mirror.
ALT A series of color filters on the Color Filter Assembly for the Coronagraph Instrument on NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
ALT JPL engineers assemble the electronics palette for the Roman Coronagraph Instrument.
"There is so much out there to explore," said Patrick Lowrance, the Roman Science Support Center co-lead at IPAC.
Congrats to @NASARoman on a successful launch 🚀
ipac.caltech.edu/news/ready-…
A big morning for Roman’s Science Support Center at @caltechipac!
Members of the SSC team is gathered at Kennedy Space Center to watch Roman head to space after years of preparing to help scientists around the world make the most of Roman’s incredible data.
#RomanLaunch
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has officially launched and is heading to its forever home at L2!
Over the next three months, the observatory will perform final checks and power its instruments before revealing its first images by early 2027.
nasa.gov/Roman
Shades on and batteries charging! 😎 🔋
Roman’s Solar Array Sun Shield and Lower Instrument Sun Shade have successfully deployed, powering the observatory and shading its instruments!
go.nasa.gov/4gw2rqc
ALT Animation of the Roman Space Telescope against the black background of space, dotted with stars. A galaxy comes into view. Six panels fold out, one at a time, from alternating sides of the telescope.
Liftoff! @NASARoman begins its flight to space. The Roman telescope’s wide field of view will generate never-before-seen images, revolutionizing our understanding of the universe.
Ad astra ⭐
At 7:26am ET (1126 UTC) on Aug. 30, @NASARoman took to the skies en route to its new home 1 million miles away from Earth. It should reach its final destination in one month: go.nasa.gov/4iDR2Hz
ALT A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Telescope transiting the Sun as it lifts off to space. The rocket's trail creates a fluffy plume that extends below the Sun. The background sky is a golden haze. Credit: NASA/John Kraus
Caltech, IPAC and our workforce at NASA JPL is proud to be a part of this extraordinary mission. Go Roman, Go NASA!
Read more: caltech.edu/about/news/ready…
After over a decade of development with mission partners, Caltech, IPAC, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are excited to support and pursue new areas of research and discovery following Sunday's launch of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
Ready for launch, ready to change how we view the cosmos.
After years of careful planning, testing, and construction, @NASARoman is ready for liftoff tomorrow, Aug. 30.
The Science Support Center at @caltechipac, one of #NASARoman’s two science centers, is excited to support Roman science and the community. 🎉
All eyes on the August 30th launch!
👏IRSA Appoints New Leadership👏
Huge congrats to Anastasia Laity on her new role as @NASA_IRSA Task Lead at @CaltechIPAC! She’ll be guiding the science archive's cloud evolution and data operations for major NASA missions ahead.🚀ipac.caltech.edu/news/irsa-a…
ALT This image features a close-up headshot of a woman smiling directly at the camera. She has dark brown eyes, pronounced dark eyebrows, and salt-and-pepper (gray and light brown) hair pulled back smoothly from her face. She has a warm, friendly expression with a broad, open-mouthed smile displaying her upper teeth. She is wearing a blue top with a small V-notch neckline and subtle seam detailing around the collar. The photo is lit with bright, natural light casting soft shadows. The background is a plain, off-white or light grey textured stucco wall. Image credit: Jeff Laity
Hands-On Science: OpenUniverse2024 with @NASARoman & @VRubinObs Simulations
Learn how Fornax and Python Jupyter notebooks can be used to develop scalable workflows for combining complementary survey data.
📅 9/15/2026 | 10 am PDT
🪙Free
🔗Register by 8/31 forms.gle/pcR5QkbTfpXrqJKp9
ALT
This graphic provides information about an upcoming event. Yellow text in the top third says Hands-On Science With Roman & Rubin Simulations; blue text in the bottom third says "Free Virtual Workshop, Sept. 15, 2026, 10 am PDT, Register by Aug. 31, 2026." In the middle third is a partial screenshot image of the Fornax science platform showing different datasets and workflows. The background image of the graphic is an image of outer space punctuated with stars and galaxies.
📣NASA-Keck Call for Proposals📣
Proposals for NASA's time on the @keckobservatory telescopes for observing semester 2027A (Feb.1–July 31, 2027) are now being accepted. Any US-based astronomer can apply!
Due date: September 10, 2026
Details: nexsci.caltech.edu/missions/…
ALT In this photograph, a vivid sunrise of oranges, reds, and yellows fills the sky around the domed telescopes at the W.M. Keck Observatory on the Maunakea Summit in Hawaii. The photo was taken from behind the two domes, which are silhouetted in the foreground. Credit: W.M. Keck Observatory