Author: David Mary
Applications 2019
** New : On-line applications to Master 1 and Master 2 will be open on the e-candidat website from March 30 to June 2, 2019**
2019 Pics @ C2PU now online
Asteroid 6748 Gault monitored @ C2PU, Calern
6748 Gault is an asteroid of the main belt that has suddenly shown a cometary activity. This asteroid is currently monitored by the MAUCA students during their METEOR @ C2PU in order to determine its unknown rotation period.
MAUCA statistics
Recent statistics about MAUCA students here.
New training modules at Thales Alenia Space
From this year on, MAUCA students have the possibility to follow several training modules at Thales Alenia Space (in addition to a METEOR there).
There are 4 modules (about 10 days in total) :
1) Introduction to spacecraft missions
2) Initiation to spacecrafts systems
3) Space optics and instruments
4) Teledetection
As for MAUCA lectures, these modules are in english.
These modules are of course of interest for students interested by a space/industry/instrumentation career . However, they are also intended for students more interested by a career focused on research in astrophysics, as much of the contemporary research relies on data collected from spacecrafts.
First MNRAS paper by a MAUCA student !
The paper follows the work of a METEOR abroad at Thessaloniki and has now been accepted at MNRAS. It is available on arxiv here.
Spacecube
Seven temperate terrestrial planets around the nearby ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1
More here
Strongest evidence yet that Proxima Centauri orbits Alpha Centauri pair
From ESO’s press release, interest in our neighbouring Alpha Centauri star system has been particularly high since the recent discovery of an Earth-mass planet, known as Proxima b, orbiting the system’s third star — and the closest star to the Sun — Proxima Centauri. While the system’s larger stellar pair, Alpha Centauri A and B, appear to have a proper motion on the sky that is very similar to that of the smaller, fainter Proxima Centauri, it has not been possible to demonstrate that the three stars do actually form a single, gravitationally bound, triple system.
Now three astronomers, Pierre Kervella, Frédéric Thévenin and Christophe Lovis, have concluded that the three stars do indeed form a bound system, see their article Proxima’s orbit around Alpha Centauri.