NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory Begins Primary Science Mission - NASA Science (.gov)

Pasadena, CA—Astronomer Guillermo Blanc has been named the Director of Carnegie Science’s Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) in Chile’s high Atacama Desert, home of the world-class twin Magellan telescopes and future site of the Giant Magellan Telescope. He succeeds Emeritus Director Leopoldo Infante, who retired at the end of 2025. Blanc, who has served in an interim capacity since the beginning of the year, first joined Carnegie in 2011 as a postdoctoral fellow and has held a variety of positions over the ensuing years, including Head of Scientific Technical Development and Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives. He has pursued an extensive research career, characterized by a combination of scientific leadership, innovation, and the development of influential observational programs in galactic and extragalactic astrophysics, while developing and maintaining the observatory’s scientific infrastructure.

Astronomers looking at Vera C. Rubin Observatory test data have discovered 'Aquarius IV', believed to be a brand new satellite galaxy of the Milky Way located 350,000 light-years away.