Astronomy on Tap – Canary Islands (“AstroTragos”) IAC Winter School 2026 Edition

Welcome to a special edition of the IAC Winter School presented by Astronomy on Tap – Canary Islands (AstroTragos)!

This edition features two scientists participating in the 37th Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics, organized annually by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), which this year focuses on the theme “Massive stars as cosmic tools: from their birth to core-collapse supernovae and gravitational wave events.” They were selected to present after participating in a short video contest.

The winning presenters are:

– Mercedes Contreras Yáñez (ULL):“Cosmic Match: The Science of Binary Stars”

– Alexander González Troncoso (University of La Serena): “Estrellas al límite: la crisis de las variables luminosas azules*(Stars at the Edge: The Crisis of Luminous Blue Variables)*”

**Astronomy on Tap – Canary Islands (known locally as “AstroTragos”)**is a monthly public outreach series organized by astronomers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), and is funded by the EDUCADO and ExGal-Twin projects. It offers engaging and accessible astronomy talks, scientific curiosities, and interactive Q&A sessions in the Canary Islands, in a fun and informal setting. The event is currently held on the first Thursday of every month at El Búho in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, on the island of Tenerife. Each session aims to feature two short talks related to astronomy—one in Spanish and one in English—as well as interactive activities. All events are free and open to the public.