News
MaNGA team releases largest-ever collection of 3D maps of nearby galaxies
January 11, 2022
The release of the complete dataset of 10,000 galaxies observed by the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) project makes MaNGA the largest galaxy survey of its kind.
Simulated image shows how NASA’s Roman could expand on Hubble’s deepest view
January 10, 2022
The Roman Space Telescope will have the power to perform an observation similar to the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, but on a much larger scale.
Astronomers witness the explosive end of a dying star
January 6, 2022
The Young Supernova Experiment transient survey observed a red supergiant during its final 130 days leading up to a supernova explosion.
In Memoriam: Bill Mathews (1937–2021)
December 17, 2021
William George “Bill” Mathews—astrophysicist, musician, and idea foundry—died on September 24 at the age of 84, but his sparkle lives on.
UCSC astronomers help shape influential report on national priorities for their field
November 5, 2021
The 'Astro2020' Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics identifies the most compelling science goals and provides recommendations for funding agencies.
As launch of James Webb Space Telescope nears, astronomers anticipate new era of discoveries
October 26, 2021
UCSC astronomers will be among the first to use the powerful new space telescope, and have been involved in the project from the start.
Astronomers witnessed the spectacular death of a star as it happened
October 21, 2021
Observations with multiple telescopes yield new insights into the final stages in the evolution of a massive star before it exploded in a core-collapse supernova.
Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz wins SACNAS Distinguished Mentor Award
October 19, 2021
Ramirez-Ruiz will be honored by the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science at the 2021 SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Conference.
Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz awarded American Physical Society’s Nicholson Medal
October 15, 2021
The American Physical Society’s 2021 Dwight Nicholson Medal for Outreach recognizes Ramirez-Ruiz for innovations in mentoring.
AAUW awards fellowships to three scholars at UC Santa Cruz
October 11, 2021
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has awarded 2021-22 American Fellowships to three scholars at UC Santa Cruz who will pursue academic work and lead innovative community projects to empower women and girls.
Astrophysicists explain the origin of unusually heavy neutron star binaries
October 8, 2021
Simulations of supernova explosions of massive stars paired with neutron stars can explain puzzling results from gravitational wave observatories.
Building community connections and STEM identity with science in the garden
September 13, 2021
A pilot program funded by the Packard Foundation brings science into the home environment through gardening.
Astronomers create the first 3D-printed stellar nurseries
September 2, 2021
Researchers can now hold stellar nurseries in their hands thanks to 3D printing, revealing features often obscured in traditional renderings and animations.
Nearby star-forming region yields clues to the formation of our solar system
August 16, 2021
The Ophiuchus star-forming complex offers an analog for the formation of the solar system, including the sources of elements found in primitive meteorites.
Blazing a Slug trail to the Olympics
July 20, 2021
Rhythmic gymnast Izzy Connor will be the first UC Santa Cruz student to compete in the Olympics—the result of years of both personal struggle and success.
Jonathan Fortney garners Simons Investigator in Astrophysics award
June 29, 2021
The $500,000 award from the Simons Foundation will support Fortney’s research on planetary atmospheres.
Cosmic dawn occurred 250 to 350 million years after Big Bang
June 24, 2021
Cosmic dawn, when stars formed for the first time, occurred 250 million to 350 million years after the beginning of the universe, according to a new study.
Searching for answers in the cosmos
June 18, 2021
Alumna Olivia Ross, winner of this year's prestigious Steck Award, took on the daunting quest of trying to find primordial black holes. Her faculty mentor calls this young, tireless scientist a "one-in-a-generation gem."
Claire Max to retire as director of UC Observatories
June 9, 2021
Claire Max, director of the University of California Observatories (UCO) and the Bachmann professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz, will retire at the end of June.
Giant planets found in the stellar suburbs
May 26, 2021
A planetary census conducted by the California Legacy Survey illuminates where giant planets tend to reside relative to their stars.
Astronomers track down fast radio bursts to galaxies’ spiral arms
May 20, 2021
Mysterious flashes of radio energy that disappear in the blink of an eye originate from young, massive galaxies.
Temperamental supernova appeared strangely cool before exploding
May 5, 2021
A curiously yellow star has caused astrophysicists to reevaluate the possible pathways that can lead to the explosion of a massive star as a supernova.
James Webb Space Telescope program aims to map the earliest structures of the universe
April 19, 2021
COSMOS-Webb is slated to be the largest program in JWST’s first year of operation.
Baked meteorites yield clues to planetary atmospheres
April 15, 2021
The gases released from meteorite samples heated in a high-temperature furnace can tell scientists about the initial composition of the atmospheres of rocky exoplanets.
Study warns of ‘oxygen false positives’ in search for signs of life on other planets
April 13, 2021
Oxygen in the atmosphere may not be an entirely reliable ‘biosignature,’ but there are ways to distinguish false positives from signs of life.
Postdoctoral fellowships support planetary science research
March 31, 2021
Emily Martin and Melodie Kao have won 51 Pegasi b Fellowships to support their research on exoplanets.
Celestial heights and oceanic depths
March 11, 2021
Two of UC Santa Cruz’s most prominent trailblazers in science, astronomer Sandra Faber and alumna and former astronaut Kathryn Sullivan, spoke of risks, discoveries, and sexism in candid “fireside chat” during a Science and Engineering Library floor-naming event.
Black Lives Matter: A statement from our department
June 24, 2020
