Upcoming Science Events

The End of Star Formation
March 2-6, 2026 | University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

ALMA Ambassadors Community Events
March 20-31, 2026 | Various Locations

21st Synthesis Imaging Workshop
May 26-June 3, 2026 | Socorro, NM

2nd Annual Cosmic Horizons Conference
July 13-16, 2026 | Charlottesville, VA

The VLA Sky Survey Completes Observing

Mark Lacy (NRAO) and the VLASS Team

Figure: The VLASS SE image of the planetary nebula NGC 1501 (left), the optical g-band image from PanSTARRS (middle) and (right) a color blend made using CARTA with VLASS red, PanSTARRS i-band green and PanSTARRS g-band in blue (VLASS image credit J. Khor).

Observations for the VLA Sky Survey (VLASS) were completed on February 8, 2026. VLASS observed alternate halves of the sky above declination -40 degrees at 2-4GHz every B/BnA-configuration since September 2017, taking 6500 hr to observe the sky for three full coverages (VLASS1.1-VLASS3.2) and one additional half coverage, VLASS4.1. With a typical synthesized beamsize of 2.5-arcsec, VLASS is the first wide area radio survey to image the sky at an angular resolution comparable to that from optical telescopes (see Figure) and will reach an RMS of ~80 microJy in the final coadded images.

Quick Look (QL) images were produced within a few weeks of all observations and are available online, along with the calibrations and raw data. We have also begun producing final single epoch image (SE) products, including in-band spectral index and polarization information. So far, 30,000 SE (out of 106,500) continuum images have been produced and we will begin production of polarization images in the spring of this year. We expect the full processing, including production of co-added continuum and polarization images from all three epochs, to take at least three more years. Source component lists are available for the QL images; a median stack of the first three epochs along with a guide to the data products and how to obtain them are also available. The VLASS median stack QL images can be visualized and downloaded via HiPS viewers in CARTA and Aladin. We also expect to release initial SE component and source catalogs covering ~40% of the VLASS survey area in the next 2-3 months. We thank the many members of the scientific community and NRAO staff who have helped define and execute the survey over the years.

Congratulations to MIDN Jack Ray (left; US Naval Academy), who was awarded a Chambliss Award from the American Astronomical Society at the January 2026 Phoenix conference. His poster explored the dynamical radio sky with VLASS and VCSS, studying with Dr. Kristina Nyland (USNO) and Dr. Emil Polisensky (NRL).

ALMA Ambassadors Cycle 13 Proposal Preparation Events

Arielle Moullet & George Privon (NRAO NAASC)

In advance of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Cycle 13 Call for Proposals deadline, the North American ALMA Science Center (NAASC), along with current ALMA Ambassadors, have organized a series of ALMA proposal preparation workshops from March 20 - 31, 2026. The goal of these events is to provide users with the knowledge they need to carry out cutting-edge scientific research using the ALMA facilities. We are particularly interested in reaching new users, so no experience with radio astronomy is required to participate!

These ALMA talks are hosted by experienced postdocs and graduate students as part of the ALMA Ambassadors program. Registration for these events is free. The workshops are designed to assist you in proposal preparation and observation planning for ALMA Cycle 13, and may include talks on the following topics:

• ALMA Basics and Cycle 13 Capabilities
• Radio Interferometry Basics
• Cycle 13 Proposal Preparation and the Proposal Review Process
• Introduction to the ALMA Observing Tool
• ALMA Data Products, Archive Use, and Notes on the Pipeline Weblog
• Common Astronomy Software Applications (CASA) Simulations

Information on the locations and dates for these workshops is available on the NAASC Community Events webpage and in the table below.

Later in the year, the ALMA Ambassadors will run another series of community events focused on the processing and analysis of ALMA data. Those events will be announced in a future NRAO Science Newsletter, so stay tuned. Left: Ambassadors present their work at the NSF NRAO in Charlottesville, February 2026.

Resuming Key Community Programs at a Sustainable Level

Anthony Remijan (NRAO)

Over the past several months, we adjusted our range of services offered to the community in response to flat funding profiles, including limiting student programs, publication support, travel support, and related activities. While these changes were necessary, we are pleased to share that we are now reinstating several of these programs. Although they will resume at a reduced level compared to previous years, this step reflects our commitment to rebuilding and sustaining the support structures that are so important to our community.

We are encouraged to be able to restore these opportunities and remain dedicated to strengthening them as resources allow. Our goal is to continue enabling student engagement, scientific collaboration, and broad participation in Observatory activities while maintaining responsible stewardship of available funding.

Members of the community seeking NRAO assistance are encouraged to check the relevant Observatory webpages for updated details on program scope, eligibility, and timelines. We will continue to provide updates as circumstances evolve.

We recognize that this has been a challenging period, and we greatly appreciate the community's patience, resilience, and continued partnership. Open communication remains important to us. Please do not hesitate to contact your NRAO collaborators or program points-of-contact if you have questions about Observatory status or specific program details.

Reminder: 2026 Jansky Lectureship - Call for Nominations

Anthony Remijan (NRAO)

The Karl G. Jansky Lectureship is an honor established by the trustees of Associated Universities, Inc., to recognize outstanding contributions to the advancement of radio astronomy. First awarded in 1966, it is named in honor of the man who, in 1932, first detected radio waves from a cosmic source. Karl Jansky's discovery of radio waves from the central region of our Milky Way Galaxy started the science of radio astronomy.

The 2026 Jansky Lecturer will have made significant contributions related to radio astronomy, and will promote the appreciation of the science of radio astronomy through public lectures at the NRAO and GBO sites. A demonstrated ability to engage a wide audience will be a factor in determining the awardee. Visit the Jansky Lectureship website for a list of the previous recipients of this prestigious award.

Additional information, including the nomination and selection process, is available online.

Nominations for the 2026 award should be concise (~1 page) and address both the nominee's contribution to the advancement of radio astronomy and their potential to increase public appreciation through the Jansky Lecture.

Nominations should be sent to JJ Burns by March 27, 2026.

NRAO and GBO scientific staff will be given an opportunity to vote on nominations received and the results will be included in the recommendation to the NRAO Director.

Bi-Weekly Green Bank Community Webinars

Will Armentrout (NRAO/GBO)

Join us every other week for bite-sized talks about new Green Bank Telescope research! We meet every other Wednesday at 1 pm ET, starting the webinar with up-to-date news and information about Green Bank operations. Next, we have a member of our observing community lead a 15-minute talk on their recent research, and we finish by 1:30 pm ET.

For more information and to sign up for updates on the talk series, visit the community webinar website. If you are interested in presenting your work at a GB Community Webinar, please contact Will Armentrout.

Science Spotlight: Witnessing the evolution of Extreme Bipolar Planetary Nebulae with ALMA

Paula Moraga Baez (Rochester Institute of Technology)

Figure 1: Color overlay images for all ALMA Band 6 targets. H-α (blue) and [N II] (green) images are overlaid with ALMA Band 6 12-m ¹²CO zeroth moment (red) images. White contours are present to show the full extent of ¹²CO emission with respect to optical emission lines. H-α and [N II] emission lines were observed with HST/WFPC2 for PN Hb 5, NGC 2440, and NGC 2818. These emission lines were observed with HST/WFC3 for NGC 6302, and the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) for NGC 6445. In the case of NGC 2899, only H-α ESO images (blue and green) are displayed (Moraga Baez et al. 2025).

Planetary nebulae (PNe) are an evolutionary stage of intermediate-mass stars (0.8-8 Msun). Shaping mechanisms for these objects include stellar winds that shock AGB ejecta, collimated outflows, and circumstellar events. However, it is difficult to narrow down the exact timeline of shaping events on some of these objects due to their complex structures. Many "classical" pinched-waist, butterfly or hourglass-shaped bipolar PNe, like NGC 6302, also harbor large masses of molecular gas.

In our work, we make use of ALMA 1.3 mm (Band 6) molecular line mapping for a sample of nearby, bipolar/pinched-waist, molecule-rich PNe (NGC 6302, Hubble 5, NGC 2440, NGC 6445, NGC 2899, and NGC 2818). Maps of ¹²CO(2-1) and ¹³CO(2-1) emission as well as emission lines of HCN, HNC, HCO+, CN, and CS - many of these detected in these PNe for the first time - reveal the molecular mass distributions, compositions, and velocity fields of the equatorial and, in some cases, polar regions of the sampled PNe. The position-velocity ¹²CO(2-1) data cubes reveal expanding molecular tori tracing the bipolar PNe equatorial planes. By estimating the orientation of the molecular tori in the sky, we can calculate their inclination angles with respect to the sky and infer torus dynamical ages ranging from 500 yr for Hb 5, to a few thousand yr for NGC 2440, NGC 6302, and NGC 6445, to ~10⁴ yr for NGC 2899 and NGC 2818, respectively.

The result of this work leaves us with an evolution sequence of the molecule-rich central tori of bi-lobed, or multi-lobed, PNe. The youngest of our sample shows that the molecular tori form nearly continuous, compact structures surrounding the nebular cores, typically lying perpendicular to the optical lobes. Within a few thousand years, however, these compact tori are continually expanding and so begin to fragment. In some cases, this fragmentation presents as rings of detached, knot-like structures observed in the cores of NGC 2440 and NGC 6445, and in the distortions and asymmetries of the NGC 6302 molecular torus. With the passing of several thousand more years, the molecular tori of these objects become highly disrupted, with the molecular gas fragmenting into isolated structures or filaments, as observed in NGC 2899 and NGC 2818.

Would you like your science or engineering projects featured in the NRAO Science Newsletter? Email the editor Brian Kent with your recent science publications!

ALMA News

Arielle Moullet (NRAO/NAASC)

ALMA Observing Status

The Observatory has paused operations at the beginning of February for the annual engineering/maintenance shutdown period, corresponding to the austral summer when typically adverse observing conditions are expected. Observations are anticipated to resume around March 1st, with the 12-m Array in its most compact configuration (C-1), with 160 m maximum baselines.

Update on Band 2 for early proposal planning for Cycle 13

A recent ALMA announcement confirmed that Band 2 (67 - 116 GHz) is anticipated to be offered on the 12-m Array from the start of Cycle 13 (October 2026). As with previous new band introductions (e.g Band 1), the exact start date and number of available antennas may be subject to operational and technical constraints. More details on expected capabilities and observing modes are available in the announcement; full details will be published in the Cycle 13 Call for Proposals, which will be issued on the first day of the Cycle 13 call (anticipated to be on March 19th, 2026).

Image left: Cold cartridge assembly for one of the ALMA Band 2 receivers. Credit: NOVA/ESO

Apply to have your ALMA-related Research Team Meeting hosted at NRAO-Charlottesville

The NAASC invites ALMA-related research teams to apply to hold their collaboration meeting at the NRAO Headquarters in Charlottesville. The NAASC can support your team's scientific productivity by offering local resources and facilities, following the example of successful recent events. We anticipate that up to two collaboration events can be hosted in 2026. Events will be offered the use of the NRAO auditorium or meeting rooms, NRAO meeting planner support before and during the event, and more. Participants will be responsible for expenses such as travel, lodging, meals, and registration fees. More details about eligibility and offered services are available on the Meeting Support website. To submit an event proposal for this call, members of the North American scientific community should apply on behalf of their research team / collaboration through this online form. Selection will be based on feasibility and scientific relevance to ALMA. For any questions about this program please email the NAASC.

Confirming star formation quenching in ultramassive galaxies between z of 3 and 4

Dust SED modeling from mm-wave observations is one the most effective ways to estimate dust content in galaxies. Dust content in turn provides context to understand whether quiescent galaxies may hide active star formation under a thick shroud of dust. Chang et al. (2026), examines five ultramassive quiescent galaxies with ALMA Band 7, revealing very low dust content - evidencing that only a low level of residual star formation is present in these sources. The apparent strong quenching of star formation in these sources, happening before star formation across the universe reaches its peak (cosmic noon), provides new information about the individual evolution pathways of galaxies across cosmic times. Learn more about this study on the recently published AstroBites blog post.

The ALMA Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade (WSU)

Progress continues on the development of components of the WSU. Upcoming milestones include Preliminary Design Reviews for Band 6v2 and for Software Adaptations in March, and for Band 8v2 in April of 2026. You can find the most up-to-date information about the WSU project and its scientific impact on the ALMA Observatory WSU webpage; resources for the North American community can be found on the NAASC WSU webpage.

ngVLA Project News

Eric Murphy (NRAO)

2nd Annual Cosmic Horizons Conference

The recent revolution in AI is fundamentally changing how astronomers observe, explore, analyze, and model astronomical data. This CosmicAI conference, in Charlottesville, Virginia, July 14-16, will bring together researchers who are actively developing and applying AI/ML methods in astronomy.

Conference priorities include:

• Recent advances at the intersection of AI and astronomy and AI-powered progress towards understanding our cosmic origins, from cosmology to habitability.
• Methodologies to increase the trustworthiness, robustness, interpretability, and efficiency of AI applications in astronomy.
• Preparation for the big-data challenges posed by next-generation observing facilities and approaches for analyzing high-dimensional data.
• Connections with industry and the parts of the private sector that are also actively researching AI for operational processes.
• The use of AI in proposal preparation, reviews, and paper writing.

Abstract submissions close April 1. Discounted registration closes May 15.

ngVLA Science - Thermal Radio Recombination Lines Towards Massive Protostellar Jets

Alvaro Sanchez-Monge, Jose Francisco Gomez & Jose Maria Torrelles (ICE-CSIC)

Figure: Left: Sketch of the W75N(B)-VLA3 massive protostar. Right: H30α emission, showing a velocity shift in the north-south direction consistent with the jet direction. Note the high-velocity span of H30 α from -150 to +150 km/s. Adapted from Sanchez-Monge et al. (2025).

An increasing amount of observational evidence shows that the first stages of massive (proto)stars are associated with Keplerian-like rotating disks, as well as powerful jets and outflows (e.g., Cesaroni et al. 2025; Sanna et al. 2025; the review by Beuther et al. 2025). However, studies at higher spatial resolution are still necessary to fully unveil the structure and properties of these disk-like structures and their associated jets.

In Gomez et al. (2023) and Sanchez-Monge et al. (2025), we studied the W75N(B) star-forming complex with ALMA, reaching a high spatial resolution of about 150 au. Among other results, these works report the presence of a rich cluster of protostars, as well as outflows and rotating structures around some of the most massive protostars. For the case of W75N(B)-VLA3, the kinematics of the dense gas are consistent with Keplerian-like rotation around a central object of 16 solar masses.

Notably, Sanchez-Monge et al. (2025) also report the detection of H30 α line emission towards VLA3. This radio recombination line (RRL; Gordon and Sorochenko 2002) is very compact, spatially associated with the protostellar jet previously studied with the VLA (Carrasco-Gonzalez et al. 2015; Rodriguez-Kamenetzky et al. 2020), and has a very broad linewidth of 200-300 km/s. A spectro-astrometry study of the H30 α emission reveals a spatial-velocity shift consistent with the direction of the protostellar jet (see figure). Based on these findings, the H30 α emission towards W75N(B)-VLA3 constitutes the first reported detection of a thermal RRL towards a protostellar jet.

This discovery of thermal RRLs towards a protostellar jet opens the window for future studies towards this and other protostars associated with jets. Detecting multiple thermal RRLs arising within the radio jets at both centimeter (with the ngVLA) and millimeter (with ALMA and NOEMA) wavelengths will constitute a profound breakthrough. Such detections will enable us to analyze not only the morphology, but also the 3D kinematics of protostellar ionized radio jets by examining their line-of-sight velocities and proper motions. This will provide fundamental information to understand their powering and collimation mechanisms (e.g., Anglada et al. 2018).

Since 2015 the acronym ngVLA has appeared in 1490+ publications indexed in the SciExplorer Data System. This article continues a regular feature intended to showcase some of those publications. We are especially interested in showcasing work done by early-career researchers. The collection of showcase articles can be viewed online. Anyone wishing to volunteer to author a feature should contact Joan Wrobel.

InspiraSTEM

Michael Sánchez (NRAO NAASC)

In July 2025, InspiraSTEM successfully launched its inaugural event in San Salvador, El Salvador bringing together 100 STEM undergraduate students from across the country. InspiraSTEM is a multidisciplinary initiative led by Salvadorian professionals dedicated to strengthening research training and STEM development in El Salvador. The conference itself offered 6 workshops across 3 separate fields in STEM (Computer Science, Biology, and Physics) as well as personalized mentorships, a poster session, 2 keynote speakers from NASA and the American Chemical Society, professional development seminars, and networking events among peers and representatives from public and private institutions alike.

Notably, InspiraSTEM garnered the interest of El Salvador's Presidential Commission for the Attention of Salvadorians Abroad who then made an appearance at the conference to establish a relationship with InspiraSTEM for collaboration on future projects (such as InspiraSTEM 2026). The participant cohort reflected broad representation: 60% attended private universities and 40% public institutions; 55% identified as female and 45% as male. Academically, 57% were engineering students, 35% were pursuing bachelor's degrees in science disciplines, and 8% were studying medicine.

After the exciting success of the first iteration, InspiraSTEM 2026 is set to take place July 23-26, 2026, at José Simeón Cañas Central American University in San Salvador, El Salvador. NRAO Scientific Data Analyst, Michael Sánchez, will be the instructor for the Astrophysics workshop titled "Planets in Construction: A Journey Through Molecular Spectra". The workshop will introduce students to the analysis of molecular spectra from planet-forming regions (≤10 au) within protoplanetary disks, providing hands-on, astronomy research experience.

Student applications are currently open until March 31, 2026 for any STEM undergraduate enrolled in a Salvadorian university.

Meeting Announcement - DISCO: Disks in Context

Aashish Gupta (University of Virginia) and Ryan Loomis (NRAO/NAASC)

We are pleased to announce that we are organizing DISCO: Disks in Context, a conference dedicated to understanding the role of star-forming environments in shaping planet-forming disks. The meeting will take place on September 21-24, 2026, at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, USA, adjacent to the University of Virginia. An optional visit to the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia is planned for September 25. Visit the conference website for more details.

DISCO will bring together observational and theoretical perspectives on environmental processes affecting disks, such as external irradiation from massive stars, infall of fresh material from surrounding clouds, and perturbations from stellar flybys. We aim to identify the key processes that drive disk evolution across different environments, and to motivate coordinated future efforts in both observations and modelling of such interactions.

Abstract submission is now open for contributed talks and posters - please see the submission form. The abstract submission deadline is April 30, 2026. Limited travel support is available for early career researchers.

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	NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins at the 247th AAS Meeting February 10, 2026
	Breakthrough Listen, NSF Green Bank Telescope Probe Galactic Heart for Hidden Pulsars February 9, 2026
	Next Generation Learning Center at the NSF Very Large Array February 4, 2026
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From the Archives

Ellen Bouton

About this month's photograph - On February 18, 1976 Barry Clark, Peter Napier, Victor Herrero, and Jon Spargo obtained first fringes with a 1.24 km baseline between VLA antennas 1 and 2. This photo of early VLA employees was taken in February 1996 at the 20th anniversary celebration of those first fringes. Left to right: Emilio Vallez, Chuck Broadwell, Dave Archuleta, Jack Campbell, Dave Weber, Ray Serna, Jack Lancaster, Ken Sowinski, Lawrence Hefner, Joe Ortiz, Peter Napier, Jon Spargo, Phil Dooley, Carl Bignell, Durga Bagri, Barry Clark, Skip Lagoyda, Pat Lewis.

From the Archives is an ongoing series illustrating NRAO and U.S. radio astronomy history via images selected from our collections of individuals' and institutional papers. If readers have images they believe would be of interest to the Archives, please contact Ellen Bouton.