Department of Astronomy

After a star explodes as a supernova, it usually leaves behind either a black hole or what’s called a neutron star — the collapsed, high-density core of the former star.

Victoria Meadows, director of the UW's Virtual Planetary Laboratory, discusses whether oxygen in an exoplanet's atmosphere is a sign of living beings.

Astronomers with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), including UW's Scott Anderson announced that a distant quasar ran out of gas, revealing that our skies are still. ever-changing.

Eric Agol, professor of astronomy, will receive the 2016 Lecar Prize from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Department of Astronomy faculty discuss the value of gender diversity among students and faculty.

UW Astronomy Professor Rory Barnes discusses what can we learn from the discovery of GJ 1132b.

An atmospheric haze around a faraway planet could show that the world is potentially habitable, or even be a sign of life itself.

The concert concludes the week long SpaceFest in Seattle.

UW faculty, alumni and friends come together for a multimedia spectacle fusing dazzling images from deep space, cutting-edge research, and symphonic music.

With support from NASA, a UW team of astronomers may one day announce our planet’s twin around a distant star.

"Origins: Life and the Universe,” will pair live performances of new compositions with video and slideshow scenes depicting cosmic events like the Big Bang.

Earth-like exoplanets may have magnetic fields capable of protecting life according to researchers at the Virtual Planetary Laboratory based at the UW.

Astronomers from the Virtual Planetary Laboratory have created a way to rank exoplanets to help prioritize which of the thousands discovered warrant close inspection in the search for life.

A benefit concert for the Astrobiology Program and Astronomy Department combines original symphonic music with spectacular imagery from space.

The Department of Astronomy celebrates its 50th anniversary with lectures, a concert, and—just maybe—an exploding star.