The Institute of Astrophysics was established at FORTH in 2018. It is the natural evolution of the very successful Astrophysics research activities that have been taking place in Crete over the past 30 years, by a very dynamic group at the University of Crete and the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser of FORTH. Given the small size of the Institute its aim is to promote scientific excellence in select areas of theoretical and observational astrophysics where substantive contributions can be made, as well as to establish long term institutional collaborations with key institutions and outstanding scholars outside Greece. The main research facility of the Institute is Skinakas Observatory which was founded jointly by FORTH, the University of Crete and the Max-Planck Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik of Germany in 1986. It is located in Psiloritis, at an altitude of 1750 meters and is currently operated in collaboration between FORTH and the University of Crete.