Department of Astronomy

Scientists have completed the construction of the world’s biggest camera after two decades of work for the Rubin Observatory in Chile. Željko Ivezić, professor of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

Eclipses past and present arenât just opportunities for incredible sights. Generations of researchers have used them to study phenomena ranging from the sun itself to the fabric of the universe. UW News intervewed Emily Levesque, author and associate professor of astronomy, about what scientists past and present have learned by studying eclipses.

Brittany Kamai, an astrophysicist with knowledge of Pacific Islanders' Indigenous navigation using the sky, is teaching a new UW course, Pacific Indigenous Astrophysics.

A list of 10 recommended road trips in Washington state includes the UW Planetarium. Andy Tzanidakis, a doctoral student in astronomy at the UW and student director of the planetarium, is quoted. Coach Jedd Fisch also is quoted about open-to-the-public football practices beginning April 2.

Aliens might time their signals with a burst of supernova light. James Davenport, research assistant professor of astronomy at the UW, is mentioned.

Starting in 2025, the Vera C. Rubin observatory will increase the number of known objects circling the sun by roughly tenfold, spotting new comets, exotic asteroids from other stars, and perhaps even the elusive Planet Nine. The UW's Mario Jurić, professor of astronomy, and Pedro Bernardinelli, postdoctoral fellow in astronomy, are quoted.

A proposal to build a far-flung set of radio antennas to measure the cosmos is one of 13 far-out concepts to receive seed funding from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program, also known as NIAC. Matthew McQuinn, associate professor of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

From dark matter to planet-crushing asteroids, four ways the telescope could alter our understanding of the universe. Mario Jurić, professor of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

Astronomers with the International Astronomical Union are trying to understand how the brightness and transmissions of the BlueWalker3 satellite will interfere with Earth-based observations of the universe — and what can be done to minimize these effects as more of these satellites are launched.

A new satellite has become one of the brightest objects in the night sky, sparking concerns among scientists for the future of astronomy. Meredith Rawls, a research scientist of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

The American Geophysical Union announced Sept. 13 that five University of Washington faculty members have been elected as new fellows, representing the departments of astronomy, Earth and space sciences, oceanography, global health, and environmental and occupational health sciences.

Kick off the Autumn quarter and celebrate a return to campus with these can’t-miss recommendations from the College of Arts & Sciences.

A discovery like this could change how we think about life in this solar system by providing clues into how it operates in others. Peers question whether the evidence is sufficiently extraordinary to prove this extraordinary claim. Don Brownlee, professor of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.

A special algorithm designed to spot dangerous near-Earth asteroids appears to be so good it has spotted its very first one during an initial test. The UW's Mario Jurić, professor of astronomy, and Ari Heinze, research scientist in astronomy, are quoted.

A skyscraper-size asteroid was revealed in year-old telescope data thanks to a new algorithm that could change the way near-Earth objects are discovered. Mario Juric, professor of astronomy at the UW, is quoted.