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Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research

The research focus of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research is our cosmic neighborhood: the solar system with its planets and moons, comets and asteroids as well as the sun. The aim of the scientists is to describe the processes in the solar system in models and to simulate them on the computer. In addition, instruments are being developed and built to study these bodies from space. The Institute is involved in numerous space missions.

Uranus: A Haywire Magnetosphere During Voyager 2 Flyby

During its flyby of Uranus 38 years ago, NASA's space probe Voyager 2 witnessed the ice giant’s magnetosphere in a truly exceptional state: an unusually strong solar wind likely dramatically compressed the planet's magnetic shield at the time. This is the result of a new study, presented in the journal Nature Astronomy by an American-German research team involving the MPS.

Zooming in on the Sun

New images of the Sun’s visible surface show the entire solar disk in unprecedented detail. They were created by researchers from the MPS from observational data obtained by Solar Orbiter’s Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) from March 22 of last year. Simultaneously captured observations of the hot corona, recorded by Solar Orbiter's Extreme-Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), make it possible to understand where and how the sometimes temperamental processes of the Sun's atmosphere occur.

Alexander Chizhevsky Medal for MPS Scientist

For his research findings on the historical activity of the Sun, the European Space Weather and Space Climate Association has honored Dr. Theodosios Chatzistergos from the MPS with the Alexander Chizhevsky Medal. In his research, the scientist looks into the past of our star and uses historical records and observational data to reconstruct how solar activity has developed over decades and centuries.

Award for MPS-Director

The Solar Physics Division of the European Physical Society has honored MPS Director Prof. Dr. Sami K. Solanki with the Zdenĕk Švetska Senior Prize. The award recognizes the leading role that the Göttingen scientist has for decades played in solar research. During this time, Solanki not only enriched his field of research with significant results regarding the Sun's magnetism and activity, but also played a key role in shaping and advancing crucial space missions.

Research Departments

Sun and Heliosphere

The focus of this department is the solar interior, the solar atmosphere, the solar magnetic field, the heliosphere, and the interplanetary medium, as well as solar radiation and solar energetic particles. The balloon-mission Sunrise, a balloon-borne solar observatory, is managed by this department. The mission investigates our central star from a height of about 35 km. In addition to several other participations in space missions, the department significantly contributes to the ESA's Solar Orbiter.

Planetary Science

This department investigates the interior, the surfaces, atmospheres, ionospheres, and magnetospheres of planets and their moons, as well as comets and asteroids. The department currently contributes or has contributed to important space missions such as the ESA's missions JUICE to the Jovian system, BepiColombo to Mercury and Rosetta to comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko as well as NASA's missions InSight to Mars and Dawn to the asteroid belt.

Solar and Stellar Interiors

Helioseismology and asteroseismology are tools that use the oscillations of the Sun and stars to probe their interior structure and dynamics. This allows us to test and refine the theory of stellar structure and evolution, thereby bringing us closer to understanding solar and stellar magnetism. The department hosts the German Data Center for NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, and is preparing to host the data center of ESA's exoplanet hunting mission, PLATO.

International Office

On the pages of the International Office, new employees and guests will find information for their stay in Göttingen and at the institute.

IMPRS

PhD programme: International Max Planck Research School for Solar System Science at the University of Göttingen.

Staff at the MPS

Staff directory

Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Canteen at the MPS
Mon - Fri 9 - 13
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