Project News

Public Data Release 4

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • December 9th, 2020

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and IPAC at the California Institute of Technology announce the fourth ZTF Public Data Release. ZTF is an optical time-domain survey covering the northern sky visible from Palomar Observatory.

Celebrating ZTF-I & Soft Launch of ZTF-II

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • October 26th, 2020

On Friday Oct 23, 2020, a virtual meeting was held to celebrate the conclusion of Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) Phase I ("ZTF-1") which was fully commissioned by March 2018 and formally ended this Fall. The meeting also serves as a formal vote of thanks for the ZTF Community Science Advisory...

Astronomers gather clues about unseen cataclysmic collisions

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • September 14th, 2020

Two large international collaborations of astronomers joined forces to look for light from some of the most cataclysmic events – the collisions of a neutron star and black hole. They did not find it this time, but the scientific journey has provided important insights on how to better hunt for...

ZTF Finds Closest Known Asteroid to Fly By Earth

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • August 19th, 2020

On August 16, the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), a robotic survey camera located at Palomar Observatory near San Diego, spotted an asteroid that had, just hours earlier, traveled only 1,830 miles (2,950 kilometers) above Earth's surface. Designated 2020 QG, it is the closest known asteroid to...

Spectacular Ultraviolet Flash May Finally Explain How White Dwarfs Explode

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • July 23rd, 2020

For just the second time ever, astrophysicists have spotted a spectacular flash of ultraviolet (UV) light accompanying a white dwarf explosion. An extremely rare type of supernova, the event is poised to offer insights into several long-standing mysteries, including what causes white dwarfs to...

Black Hole Collision May Have Exploded with Light

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • June 25th, 2020

When two black holes spiral around each other and ultimately collide, they send out ripples in space and time called gravitational waves. Because black holes do not give off light, these events are not expected to shine with any light waves, or electromagnetic radiation. But some theorists have...

Public Data Release 3

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • June 24th, 2020

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and IPAC at the California Institute of Technology announce the third ZTF Public Data Release. ZTF is an optical time-domain survey covering the northern sky visible from Palomar Observatory.

First Asteroid Found Inside Orbit of Venus

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • January 15th, 2020

A rare asteroid orbiting snugly within the inner confines of our solar system has been discovered by Caltech's Zwicky Transient Facility, or ZTF, a survey camera based at Palomar Observatory. The newfound body, named 2020 AV2, is the first asteroid found to orbit entirely within the orbit of Venus.

Public Data Release 2

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • December 11th, 2019

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and IPAC at the California Institute of Technology announce the second ZTF Public Data Release. ZTF is an optical time-domain survey covering the northern sky visible from Palomar Observatory.

The Zwicky Transient Facility Begins Nightly Concurrent Observations of TESS Northern Fields

Zwicky Transient Facility • Project News • July 27th, 2019

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) has started to conduct a nightly survey of the TESS fields in g- and r-band. In 2019-2020 all of the 13 northern TESS sectors will be covered by ZTF if accessible from Palomar. In addition to the ZTF alert streams provided by various alert brokers, all...

Public Data Release 4

Zwicky Transient Facility • December 9th, 2020

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and IPAC at the California Institute of Technology announce the fourth ZTF Public Data Release. ZTF is an optical time-domain survey covering...

Celebrating ZTF-I & Soft Launch of ZTF-II

Zwicky Transient Facility • October 26th, 2020

On Friday Oct 23, 2020, a virtual meeting was held to celebrate the conclusion of Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) Phase I ("ZTF-1") which was fully commissioned by March 2018...

Astronomers gather clues about unseen cataclysmic collisions

Zwicky Transient Facility • September 14th, 2020

Two large international collaborations of astronomers joined forces to look for light from some of the most cataclysmic events – the collisions of a neutron star and black hole....

ZTF Finds Closest Known Asteroid to Fly By Earth

Zwicky Transient Facility • August 19th, 2020

On August 16, the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), a robotic survey camera located at Palomar Observatory near San Diego, spotted an asteroid that had, just hours earlier,...

Spectacular Ultraviolet Flash May Finally Explain How White Dwarfs Explode

Zwicky Transient Facility • July 23rd, 2020

For just the second time ever, astrophysicists have spotted a spectacular flash of ultraviolet (UV) light accompanying a white dwarf explosion. An extremely rare type of...

Black Hole Collision May Have Exploded with Light

Zwicky Transient Facility • June 25th, 2020

When two black holes spiral around each other and ultimately collide, they send out ripples in space and time called gravitational waves. Because black holes do not give off...

Public Data Release 3

Zwicky Transient Facility • June 24th, 2020

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and IPAC at the California Institute of Technology announce the third ZTF Public Data Release. ZTF is an optical time-domain survey covering...

First Asteroid Found Inside Orbit of Venus

Zwicky Transient Facility • January 15th, 2020

A rare asteroid orbiting snugly within the inner confines of our solar system has been discovered by Caltech's Zwicky Transient Facility, or ZTF, a survey camera based at...

Public Data Release 2

Zwicky Transient Facility • December 11th, 2019

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and IPAC at the California Institute of Technology announce the second ZTF Public Data Release. ZTF is an optical time-domain survey covering...

The Zwicky Transient Facility Begins Nightly Concurrent Observations of TESS Northern Fields

Zwicky Transient Facility • July 27th, 2019

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) has started to conduct a nightly survey of the TESS fields in g- and r-band. In 2019-2020 all of the 13 northern TESS sectors will be...