New data from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) has provided scientists with a first-of-its-kind look at the “exhaust pipe” of a supermassive black hole.
Sebastiano von Fellenberg, a postdoctoral researcher at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA), is part of an international team that has identified the likely starting point of a massive cosmic jet — a powerfu…
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has announced Professor Peter Martin as the recipient of the 2026 George Van Biesbroeck Prize for his “long-term extraordinary or unselfish service to astronomy.” The AAS, a leading international body for astronomers since 1899, grants this award every two years to honour individuals whose lifelong commitment to scientific discovery and social good…
A team led by CITA Fellow, Dr. James Beattie, received the HPCwire Editors’ Choice Award for “Top HPC-Enabled Scientific Achievement” for 2025. The researchers were recognized for creating the largest and highest-resolution simulation of astrophysical, magnetized turbulence performed to date. “Using HPC resources at the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ), they were able to mod…
The Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) and the David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics (DADDAA) are pleased to invite you to a special edition of the Astro Colloquium given by Professor J. Richard Bond, the 2025 Shaw Laureate in Astrophysics.
Professor Bond, the first University of Toronto faculty member to receive the honour, and his co-recipient Georg…
by A&S News
A pioneer in the study of exoplanets and exoplanet atmospheres, Sara Seager is returning to her alma mater, the University of Toronto (U of T), to join the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) as North Star Distinguished Professor, starting September 1, 2026.
“I’m excited to return home as a faculty member, researcher and mentor at the institution…
July – August – September
In this newsletter you will find a summary of recent faculty and council appointments, notable community engagements, and an overview of some of the excellent research being conducted at CITA. Additionally, our community has recently convened to recognize accomplishments, support emerging scientists, and establish new international partnerships.
We are especially…
In a new paper published Oct. 28 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the international LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) Collaboration reports on the detection of two gravitational wave events in October and November of last year with highly suggestive black hole spins and mass ratios.
Gravitational waves are “ripples” in space-time that result from cataclysmic events in deep space, with t…
CITA researchers have the calculations and simulations to explain mysterious flashes from the galaxy OJ 287
Roughly twice every 12 years, from 3.5 billion light years away, the light equivalent of one trillion suns flashes in the night sky and then fades away over the next few months. It’s a phenomenon that astronomers have been documenting since the late 1880s, originating in a galaxy known…
On October 21st CITA Professor J. Richard Bond accepted the 2025 Shaw Prize in Astrophysics, shared with Professor George Efstathiou from the University of Cambridge. The Shaw Foundation recognized the four 2025 Shaw Laureates at a special award presentation ceremony in the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The awards were presented by Professor Reinhard…
Multi-year Event Horizon Telescope observations capture evolving polarization patterns in supermassive black hole and see emissions in 230 GHz near the base of its jet
The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has unveiled new, detailed images of the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy M87, revealing a dynamic environment with changing polarization patterns near t…