Cristina Cappa de Nicolau

Argentina

1953-2021


Obituary:

Cristina E. Cappa, Argentinian astronomer that worked for more than 35 years at both La Plata National University (UNLP), where she was Associated Professor, and Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomia (IAR), a research Institute from National Research Council (CONICET), passed away on 2 August 2021.

She was born at La Plata in 1953 and earned a PhD. in Astronomy from the Faculty of Astronomy and Geophysics in 1984 with the thesis entitled Interaction of early type stars with the interstellar medium. The topic of this investigation was the prelude of her work throughout the rest of her professional life, and one that would lead her to become an expert on radio-astronomical observations aimed at disclosing the nature of the interaction of early type stars and their surrounding interstellar medium.

Based on 21-cm neutral hydrogen observations, she was the first to detect in 1984 the interstellar bubble associated with the Wolf Rayet star θ Muscae. Based on this result, a new research line was opened at IAR.

Cristina was a generous and devoted teacher, always willing to help and guide her students. Her passion and enthusiasm for research, led many of her students to become astronomers. Besides her investigations, she was a great promoter of the idea that astronomy, and science in general, should be made understandable for the general public. Her contributions to outreach lectures are countless.

She was also Vice-Director of IAR, and was involved in the installation of the Large Latin American Millimeter Array (or LLAMA for short), an ambitious Argentinean-Brazilian joint project whose goal is to install, at 4800m above sea level in the northwestern part of Argentina (Salta province), a 12m dish for millimeter/submillimeter observations. She was, for a while, Scientific Responsible for the Argentinean counterpart of this project.

Those of us who were close to her, as a colleague, teacher, or friend are going to miss her very much. We warmly hug José, her husband, and Cecilia and José, her children.
Cristina´s commitment, guidance and kindness will be missed deeply missed.

Past affiliation(s) within the IAU

  • Past Member of Division H Interstellar Matter and Local Universe (until 2021)
  • Past Member of Commission 34 Interstellar Matter (until 2015)
  • Past Member of Division VI Interstellar Matter (until 2012)

Search individual members



 

Donate to the IAU

Donate to the IAU

General Assembly 2024

IAU General Assembly 2024

IAU Strategic Plan 2020–2030

Strategic Plan

IAU Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct

Symposia and Meetings

Meetings

Membership

How to Become a Member

Deceased Members

Deceased Members

Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference

CPS

IAU Catalyst

Latest Catalyst

IAU e-Newsletter
Volume 2024 n° 1

Latest e-Newsletter

Subscribe to the e-Newsletter

CAPj

IAU Office of Astronomy for Development

Office for Astronomy Development

IAU Office for Young Astronomers

Office for Young Astronomers

IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach

Office for Astronomy Outreach

IAU Office of Astronomy for Education

Office of Astronomy for Education

International School for Young Astronomers

International School for Young Astronomers

WG Small Bodies Nomenclature Bulletins

WG Small Bodies Nomenclature Bulletins

IAU WG Women in Astronomy Newsletters and Ensemble Magazine

WG Women in Astronomy Newsletters