École normale supérieure de Lyon

From a joint Sorbonne University/CNRS press release dated September 2, 2026. Based on a paper published in The Open Journal of Astrophysics to which the CRAL contributed: “A GLIMPSE of the 99%: a census of the faintest galaxies during the epoch of reionization and its implications for galaxy formation models.” Thumbnail: “A glimpse into the distant past.” © ESA/Webb, NASA, and CSA, H. Atek, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb). Acknowledgments: R. Endsley.

According to a communication from the CNRS dated June 1, 2026. Based on a scientific paper published in Astronomy & Astrophysics to which the Lyon Astrophysics Research Center (CNRS/ENS de Lyon/Lyon 1 Claude Bernard University) contributed: “Destructuring the disk of AB Aurigae: dynamics and accretion”. Thumbnail credit: © ESO

On Thursday, April 2, 2026, CRAL's young researcher Armand Leclerc was awarded the European Astrophysical Society (EAS) MERAC Prize for the best PhD thesis in Theoretical Astrophysics.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon 12 rocket successfully lifted off on February 13, 2026, carrying French astronaut Sophie Adenot, who was tasked with deploying MATISS-4. This experiment, led by Laurence Lemelle (CNRS, LGL-TPE, ENS de Lyon) was assembled by the LPENSL mechanical engineering department, under the supervision of Denis Le Tourneau. Photo credit: © NASA/ESA

Associate Professor in Institute of Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University, Japan
Visiting Professor 2025-2026: From February 21 to March 29, 2026.
Host Professor: Benoît Commerçon 

On January 30, 2026, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) signed an agreement to build the Blue Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (BlueMUSE), a new instrument for ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). Thumbnail credit © ESO

According to a press release from Université Grenoble Alpes and the CNRS dated December 3, 2025. Based on a scientific publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, to which the Lyon Astrophysics Research Center (CRAL, CNRS / Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 / ENS de Lyon) of the Lyon Observatory of Universe Sciences contributed: “Characterization of debris disks observed with SPHERE.” Photo credit: © N. Engler et al./Astronomy & Astrophysics

According to a CNRS publication dated November 18, 2025, based on a press release from the ESO (European Southern Observatory). On November 10, four lasers simultaneously pierced the sky at Cerro Paranal in Chile, marking a major milestone in the GRAVITY+ project, to which the Lyon Astrophysics Research Center (CRAL / OSUL – Sponsored by: CNRS / ENS de Lyon / Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1). Photo: Artist's rendering of the GRAVITY+ project on the VLT © ESO

According to a press release from the Lyon Observatory dated September 4, 2025, based on a scientific publication to which Elliot Lynch, researcher at CRAL (ENS de Lyon/CNRS/UCBL), contributed as part of an international team: “ALMA Reveals an Eccentricity Gradient in the Fomalhaut Debris Disk”, published in The Astrophysical Journal on September 4, 2025.

National press release. The 4MOST instrument, installed in Chile on the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) VISTA telescope and developed largely by teams from the CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, and ENS de Lyon, has just achieved first light. This first ray of light from space, analyzed by the instrument's spectrographs, marks the beginning of a great adventure in studying and mapping the sky: thanks to its cutting-edge technology, 4MOST can study the light from 2,400 celestial objects simultaneously, every 15 minutes. Thumbnail image credit: Image: Roelof de Jong / AIP; Jens-Kristian Krogager / CRAL; background image: Harshwardhan Pathak / Telescope Live

According to a CNRS communication dated September 30, 2025. Based on a scientific publication in Astrophysical Journal to which Adnan-Ali Ahmad, a CNRS researcher at the Lyon Astrophysics Research Center (CRAL), contributed: “Brown Dwarf Formation Through Gravitational Collapse: Insights From 3D Numerical Simulations.” Image: © Adnan-Ali AHMAD and Alex ANDRIX – CRAL

Press release, Villeurbanne, October 9, 2025. The past of the planet Mars continues to captivate the scientific community. One question in particular remains unanswered: did oceans once cover the surface of the Red Planet? Recently, a research team, bringing together numerous French laboratories including the Lyon Geology Laboratory: Earth, Planets, Environment (LGL-TPE – Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 / ENS de Lyon / CNRS) and the Marseille Astrophysics Laboratory (LAM – Aix Marseille Université / CNRS / CNES), has been studying the Northern Plains of Mars using various NASA and ESA probes orbiting Mars. They have published their new findings in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

Isabelle Baraffe, a member of the Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL), is a Professor of Astrophysics on secondment at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. In October 2024, she was awarded a prize for her pioneering research in theoretical astrophysics, which has revolutionised our understanding of the structure and evolution of stars and planets.

Roland Bacon, CNRS Emeritus Research Director at CRAL, is awarded the EAS 2024 Lodewijk Woltjer Lecture.

Gilles Chabrier, Emeritus CNRS Research Director in CRAL AstroENS team, Professor of Astronomy at the University of Exeter, receives the prestigious Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, for his outstanding contributions to astrophysics and galactic astronomy.

Publication of the CRAL in the journal Nature on December 6, 2023. Press alert of CNRS on December 6, 2023.

Publication of the CRAL in the journal Science on March 30, 2023. Communication of the CNRS-INSU on April 14, 2023.

Isabelle Baraffe, member of the CRAL, is Professor of Astrophysics on secondment at the University of Exeter, UK. She is awarded the EAS 2023 Lodewijk Woltjer Lecture.

Teams of the Lyon Astrophysics Research Center have finalized the reintegration in Germany of two spectrographs of the 4MOST instrument, intended to equip the VISTA telescope of the European Southern Observatory in Chile.
Description

The CRAL participates in the realization of spectrographs that will equip the next large telescopes to help us probe the Universe.

Isabelle Baraffe, professor at CRAL (ENS de Lyon / CNRS / UCBL), is the recipient of the prestigious Viktor Ambartsumian International Scientific Prize.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions support researchers at all stages of their careers, regardless of age and nationality. Researchers working across all disciplines are eligible for funding. The MSCA also support cooperation between industry and academia and innovative training to enhance employability and career development.

Publication by CRAL, in Nature Astronomy, on September 16, 2019

On June 2019, Professor Gilles Chabrier was awarded for his seminal contributions to a variety of astrophysical domains, from planetary to stellar and galactic astronomy.