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Infrared

The Infrared Science and Technology Integration Group (IR STIG) studies the infrared region of the spectrum.

About IR STIG

Exploring the Infrared Region of the Spectrum

The infrared region of the spectrum is critical for probing the cool, dense interstellar medium from which stars and planetary systems form.

In recent years, the enhanced capabilities of Spitzer, Herschel, SOFIA, and other missions have provided a wide range of exciting new results ranging from molecules observed in protostellar disks to the first galaxies observed in dust continuum and fine structure cooling lines. New and anticipated space missions, for example the James Webb Space Telescope and the Origins Space Telescope, will further enhance our observational capabilities. Maintaining and developing the existing multiplicity of observing platforms and new instrumentation are important considerations for future infrared astronomy.



This Infrared Science Interest Group (IR SIG) was originally constituted in 2002 and works with the COPAG Executive Committee and NASA Headquarters to collect community input on the long-term objectives of infrared astronomy and enhance the voice of IR astronomy within the broader astronomical community.

A black, deep space image is dominated by what appears to be a large snowflake-like feature with a bright white core and 8 pinkish orange spikes. It is surrounded by additional wisps of pinkish orange and blue gas.
A stunning smash-up of two spiral galaxies shines in infrared with the light of more than a trillion suns. Collectively called Arp 220, the colliding galaxies ignited a tremendous burst of star birth. Each of the combining galactic cores is encircled by a rotating, star-forming ring blasting out the glaring light that Webb captured in infrared. This brilliant light creates a prominent, spiked, starburst feature.
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

News & Events

The IR STIG organizes a monthly webinar series, dedicated to all topics in infrared astronomy. Please contact a member of the STIG Leadership Council if you would like to present a webinar or if you have a question about the webinar series. Instructions for joining the webinar can be found below. Next: TBA

Infra-Red Science and Technology Integration Group (IR STIG)

Leadership Council Stacey AlbertsUniversity of ArizonaEmailCandice FazarRITEmailRoberta Paladini, Co-ChairIPACEmailAllison StromNorthwestern U.EmailJake Connors, Co-ChairNASAEmailMeredith MacGregorJohns Hopkins UniversityEmailNathan RothNASAEmailVolker TollsHarvard CfAEmailWilliam DanchiNASAEmailJed McKinneyUT AustinEmailJohannes StaguhnJohns Hopkins UniversityEmail

Aug 25, 2025
Topic
IR STIG Seminar June 2, 2025

We have two presentations from John C Mather (GSFC) and Chi Nguyen (CalTech). Dr. Mather shares his work on hybrid observatories and Dr. Nguyen discusses the recently launched SPHEREx instrument and provide an early glimpse at survey data. Hybrid Space-Ground…

Jun 2, 2025
Topic
IR STIG Seminar May 5, 2025

CIBER 4th Flight Fluctuation Analysis: Measurements of Near-IR Auto- and Cross-Power Spectra on Arcminute to Sub-Degree Scales Richard Feder (UC Berkeley, LBNL) Near-infrared intensity mapping datasets are sensitive to the integrated emission of all local/extragalactic sources along the line of…

May 5, 2025
Topic
IR STIG Seminar April 7, 2025

An Update on the Leighton Chajnantor Telescope Sunil Golwala (California Institute of Technology) The Leighton Chajnantor Telescope (LCT) will be a new facility for submillimeter and millimeter astronomy and cosmology. It will explore a new frontier in the transient astro-nomical…

Apr 7, 2025
Topic
Cosmic Origins at AAS 245

Sunday January 12, 2025 Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group (COPAG) Time Topic Speakers 9:00am – 9:30am COPAG Introduction and Updates [PDF] Shouleh Nikzad, Peter Kurczynski 9:30am – 10:55am Galaxies / Stars / DGCE SIG The Need for Space-Based IFU Spectroscopy…

Jan 12, 2025
Topic
IR STIG Seminar January 6,2025

New Views of Star Formation in Nearby Galaxies with ~100,000 Star Clusters and As-sociations from PHANGS HST & JWST Janice Lee (Space Telescope Science Institute) Star clusters are key products of star formation. They trace the densest peaks of the…

Jan 6, 2025
Topic

Community Engagement

Recently reconstituted as the Infrared Science and Technology Integration Group (IR STIG) following the Astro2020 Decadal, we have several ongoing activities to engage both these communities.

This artist's concept depicts one possible appearance of the exoplanet Kepler-452b, the first near-Earth-size world to be found in the habitable zone of star that is similar to our sun.

Biannual Newsletter

Published in winter and summer, the newsletter series presents recent news, science highlights, and mission and technology updates and developments. For each addition, articles are solicited from the community at-large.

AGU photo 3

Monthly Webinar

An hour-long seminar presented online on the first Tuesday of every month at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific. Typical live attendance is 20–50 people. Seminars are also recorded and published to our website.

Black line art with letters on a white background

AAS Splinter Sessions

Hosted during each winter AAS meeting and including invited talks along with a panel discussion. Attendance has been > 100 people at every recent splinter session.

This face-on view of spiral galaxy NGC 628 is split diagonally, showing observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in the top left portion of the image and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in the bottom right portion. JWST�s observations combine near- and mid-infrared light, while HST�s observations showcase visible light. Complementary views show predominantly stars (HST) and obscuring dust (JWST). In JWST�s high-resolution infrared images, the gas and dust stand out in stark shades of orange and red and show finer spiral shapes with the appearance of jagged edges, though these areas are still diffuse. In HST�s images, the gas and dust show up as hazy dark brown lanes, following the same spiral shapes. HST�s images are about the same resolution as JWST�s, but the gas and dust obscure a lot of the smaller-scale star formation. Image and text credit: NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (University of Oxford), Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) Team

Review Articles and White Papers

Including review articles on far-infrared instrumentation and technology development, and white paper efforts for the 2010 and 2020 decadal survey.

Centaurus A

Focused Workshops

The IR STIG has led or participated in multiple focused workshops covering topics such as next-generation instrumentation and current science with IR facilities such as SOFIA.

Leadership Council

Stacey Alberts
University of Arizona
Email
Candice Fazar
RIT
Email
Roberta Paladini, Co-Chair
IPAC
Email
Allison Strom
Northwestern U.
Email
Jake Connors, Co-Chair
NASA
Email
Meredith MacGregor
Johns Hopkins University
Email
Nathan Roth
NASA
Email
Volker Tolls
Harvard CfA
Email
William Danchi
NASA
Email
Jed McKinney
UT Austin
Email
Johannes Staguhn
Johns Hopkins University
Email
Pinwheel Galaxy (M101): Visible, Infrared, and X-ray Views
Pinwheel Galaxy (M101): Visible, Infrared, and X-ray Views

How to Participate

We invite participation from the community, particularly from early-career researchers and those from under represented backgrounds in astronomy. Please contact us for more information about our activities and mission, and how you can get involved.

Contact Us about How to Participate
Webb and Hubble�s Views of Spiral Galaxy NGC 628

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An illustration of Sun-like star HD 181327 and its surrounding debris disk. The star is at top right. It is surrounded by a far larger debris disk that forms an incomplete ellpitical path and is cut off at right. There’s a huge cavity between the star and the disk. The debris disk is shown in shades of light gray. Toward the top and left, there are finer, more discrete points in a range of sizes. The disk appears hazier and smokier at the bottom. The star is bright white at center, with a hazy blue region around it. The background of space is black. The label Artist's Concept appears at lower left.