Remo Tilanus

Astronomer & Research Professor
Steward Observatory | University of Arizona

Operations Manager Event Horizon Telescope
Operations Manager Arizona Radio Observatory
 Remo Tilanus

 
 		 About me  
 		 CV  
 		 Publications  
 
As an observational astronomer and research professor at Steward Observatory and the University of Arizona I work with sub-millimeter radio telescopes, both single-dish and interferometric arrays. My research focuses on imaging observations of black holes with the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) for which I currently am its Operations Manager. Since 2013, my main responsibilities have been to supervise the observations with and the technical realization of the EHT under various roles, including head of the technical working group, project manager and, now, operations manager. The EHT has conducted successful observations in 2017 and 2018, followed by annual campaigns since 2021, progressively expanding the number of stations involved. These efforts resulted in the groundbreaking release of the first images of black holes by the EHT Collaboration in 2019 and 2022. Presently, my focus is on enhancing our capabilities to capture a series of snapshots, enabling time domain studies, colloquially referred to as a "movie," to research the dynamic processes of accretion and jet generation around black holes.

Additionally, I hold the position of operation manager for the Arizona Radio Observatory 12-meter Telescope on Kitt Peak and the Submillimeter Telescope on Mt. Graham.

Furthermore, I am participating in the Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) project, which aims to extend the capabilities of the EHT into space. The ultimate goal of this endeavor is to detect a black hole's photon ring capturing light that has orbited a black hole. The size and shape of the photon ring allow a direct and precise study of the spin and mass of a black hole. Black Hole Explorer

M87 black hole Sgr A polarization Event Horizon Telescope array
The first image of a black hole (2019) using EHT observations of the center of the galaxy M87. This long-sought image provides the strongest evidence to date for the existence of supermassive black holes. Image Credit: EHT Collaboration
EHT first polarized image (2024) of Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way black hole, showing the signature of magnetic fields. The lines mark the orientation of polarization, which is related to the magnetic field around the shadow of the black hole. Image Credit: EHT Collaboration
The Event Horizon Telescope is a global Very Long Baseline Interferometer network of millimeter-wave telescopes. The array simulates an Earth-sized virtual mirror enabling it to image black holes on event-horizon scales. Recent and planned additions are the Korea VLBI Network Yonsei and Pyengchang telescopes and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO). Potential future enhancements of the array are the addition of stations and simultaneous observing at 85, 230, and 345 GHz aiming to improve image quality and fidelity.

Address:
Steward Observatory
933 N. Cherry Ave
Tucson, AZ 85721-0065, USA		 Office: +1 (520) 621-2288
Fax: +1 (520) 621-1532
Email: rtilanus@arizona.edu		 Packages/shipping:
Steward Observatory Annex
1540 East Second Street
Tucson, AZ 85721-0064, USA

Space & Science related channels I enjoy:

For a complete publication list please click this link

3 top-cited papers

  1. Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, Akiyama, K., Alberdi, A., et al.
    First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. I. The Shadow of the Supermassive Black Hole
    2019ApJ...875L...1E (04/2019)
    10.3847/2041-8213/ab0ec7, Citations: 4169

  2. Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, Akiyama, K., Alberdi, A., et al.
    First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. VI. The Shadow and Mass of the Central Black Hole
    2019ApJ...875L...6E (04/2019)
    10.3847/2041-8213/ab1141, Citations: 1620

  3. Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, Akiyama, K., Alberdi, A., et al.
    First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. I. The Shadow of the Supermassive Black Hole in the Center of the Milky Way
    2022ApJ...930L..12E (05/2022)
    10.3847/2041-8213/ac6674, Citations: 1602

10 most recent papers

  1. Bernshteyn, V., Conroy, N. S., Bauböck, M., et al.
    Ring Asymmetry and Spin in M87*
    2026arXiv260100394B (01/2026)
    10.48550/arXiv.2601.00394

  2. Saurabh, Müller, H., von Fellenberg, S. D., et al.
    Probing jet base emission of M87* with the 2021 Event Horizon Telescope observations
    2025arXiv251208970S (12/2025)
    10.48550/arXiv.2512.08970

  3. The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, Akiyama, K., Albentosa-Ruíz, E., et al.
    Horizon-scale variability of M87* from 2017─2021 EHT observations
    2025A&A...704A..91T (12/2025)
    10.1051/0004-6361/202555855

  4. Dahale, R., Cho, I., Moriyama, K., et al.
    Origin of the ring ellipticity in the black hole images of M87*
    2025A&A...699A.279D (07/2025)
    10.1051/0004-6361/202555235

  5. Goddi, C., Carlos, D. F., Crew, G. B., et al.
    First polarization study of the M87 jet and active galactic nuclei at submillimeter wavelengths with ALMA
    2025A&A...699A.265G (07/2025)
    10.1051/0004-6361/202554140

  6. Issaoun, S., Pesce, D. W., Rioja, M. J., et al.
    First Frequency Phase Transfer from the 3 mm to the 1 mm Band on an Earth-sized Baseline
    2025AJ....169..229I (04/2025)
    10.3847/1538-3881/adbb55

  7. Röder, J., Wielgus, M., Lobanov, A. P., et al.
    A multifrequency study of sub-parsec jets with the Event Horizon Telescope
    2025A&A...695A.233R (03/2025)
    10.1051/0004-6361/202452600

  8. Paraschos, G. F., Roeder, J., Wielgus, M., et al.
    Probing Blazar Jet Physics with the EHT AGN survey
    2025AAS...24523607P (01/2025)

  9. Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, Akiyama, K., Albentosa-Ruíz, E., et al.
    The persistent shadow of the supermassive black hole of M87: II. Model comparisons and theoretical interpretations
    2025A&A...693A.265E (01/2025)
    10.1051/0004-6361/202451296

  10. Baczko, A.-K., Kadler, M., Ros, E., et al.
    The putative center in NGC 1052
    2024A&A...692A.205B (12/2024)
    10.1051/0004-6361/202450898

Disclaimer: Please note, all opinions expressed under this Home Page are those of Remo Tilanus alone and do not represent the opinions of the University of Arizona, any of its departments, nor any other staff member!