Dr. Fatemeh Zahara (INAF/Capodimonte)
17 September 2025
11:30, Aula Piazzi
Abstract:
Mauve is a satellite equipped with a 13-cm telescope and a UV-Visible spectrometer (with an operative wavelength range of 200-700 nm) conceived to measure the stellar magnetic activity and variability. The science program will be delivered via a multi-year collaborative survey program, with thousands of hours each year available for long baseline observations of hundreds of stars, unlocking a significant time domain astronomy opportunity. Mauve’s mission lifetime is 3 years with the ambition of 5 years, and will cover a broad field of regard (–46.4 to 31.8 degrees in ICRS) during this period. Booked to launch on October 2025, Mauve’s science team will form prior to the launch date, defining the observation strategy and targets.The scientific themes selected for the first survey so far are: Monitoring multiple stellar systems, classical Be stars, young planet hosts, candidate targets for the Habitable World Observatory (HWO), stellar flares on solar analogs and cool dwarfs, coronal dimming associated with CMEs, and Herbig Ae/Be stars. Mauve is designed to foster innovative pilot studies and nurture emerging scientific ideas, with a dedicated focus on time-domain astronomy. Beyond its core scientific objectives, the data collected by Mauve can serve as a valuable resource for both supporting and enhancing current and future astronomical facilities, acting as a pathfinder and enabling coordinated or follow-up observations. In this presentation, I will provide the audience with a comprehensive update on Mauve’s progress from multiple perspectives, including: the completion of satellite construction, advances in scientific research and the implementation of major survey themes, and formation of the science team.