The Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)’s Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri has officially joined the Mauve survey programme as a founding member. Under the leadership of Dr Elena Pancino, senior researcher at the observatory in Firenze, Italy, the institution will play a critical role in shaping the science programme of the Mauve survey.
Scheduled for launch in October 2025, Mauve will dedicate thousands of observational hours annually to study stars within our galaxy, focusing on their magnetic activity, powerful flares, and the influence of host stars on the habitability of nearby exoplanets, enhancing our understanding of stellar dynamics and their impact on planetary systems.
The Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri will use Mauve to address key scientific questions within the framework of the European Research Council (ERC)’s advanced grant project “StarDance: the non-canonical evolution of stars in clusters”, which focuses on exotic stellar populations such as blue straggler stars, hot subdwarfs, fast rotating stars and lithium-rich stars. In particular, the team will focus on the search for hot companions, chromospheric activity signatures and flux variability to understand how these exotic stars form and evolve.
“We are thrilled to contribute to the Mauve programme, not only for the research it will unlock but also for the new model it offers for scientific collaboration from space. Mauve’s approach as a small, well-targeted private initiative presents a unique organisational structure, promising a more agile and democratic way of managing a science team and mission compared to the larger collaborations I’ve been part of in the past.” – Dr Elena Pancino, senior researcher at the observatory in Firenze, Italy
“The Mauve survey programme is pioneering a new era of stellar exploration and exoplanet research, and the addition of the Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri further strengthens its scientific capabilities.” – Benjamin Wilcock, Senior Science Programme Manager at Blue Skies Space
About INAF’s Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri
The Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, located on the historic Arcetri hill in Florence, is part of the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF). Founded in 1869, it is a leading research facility with over a hundred staff members engaged in cutting-edge astrophysical research and technological innovation. The observatory’s work spans the study of the Solar System, star formation, planetary systems, galactic archaeology, and the evolution of galaxies and the universe. It maintains strong collaborations with national and international institutes, particularly with the University of Florence, and is dedicated to advancing astrophysics while promoting scientific education and outreach.
About the Mauve Survey Programme
The Mauve Survey Programme is dedicated to uniting the global research community to advance the study of stellar magnetic activity, powerful flares, and the habitability of exoplanets through extensive space-based observation.
Running over three years, the survey programme enables collaborative research where science objectives are set by the members. Researchers shape the programme, defining goals, strategy, and target selection through specialised working groups.
Dedicating thousands of telescope hours annually enables long-term observations, large-scale studies, and advancements in time-domain science that will generate extensive data across a diverse range of science themes.
Through our user-friendly portal, Stardrive, members access cutting-edge tools for data management, simulations, and scheduling to streamline the execution of the complex observational programme.
Learn more about Mauve: https://bssl.space/mauve