IAFE is an institute for research in Astronomy and Astrophysics. It depends on Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA).

The main research lines are:
- Stellar astrophysics and interstellar medium.
- Solar physics and interplanetary medium.
- Planetary sciencie.
- Numerical astrophysics.
- High energy astrophysics.
- Quantitative teledetection.
- Aeronomy.
- Astrophysical plasma.
- Atomic collisions.
- Relativistic quantum theories and gravitation.