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Astro and Planets

November 28, 2016
New faculty rejuvenate Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
New astronomy faculty bring with them a wide range of expertise in some of the most exciting areas of astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology.
November 16, 2016
New analysis adds support for a subsurface ocean on Pluto
A liquid ocean deep beneath Pluto's frozen surface is the best explanation for features revealed by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft.
November 15, 2016
Astronomer Sandra Faber awarded California Academy of Sciences Fellows Medal
The California Academy of Sciences has awarded its highest honor, the Fellows Medal, to Sandra Faber, professor emerita of astronomy and astrophysics, and elected professors Karen Holl and Erika Zavaleta as new Academy Fellows.
October 14, 2016
Astronomer Ryan Foley wins prestigious Packard Fellowship
Foley is the 12th UCSC faculty member, and fifth UCSC astronomer, to receive a Packard Fellowship.
October 11, 2016
Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz honored by American Physical Society
Ramirez-Ruiz, professor and chair of astronomy and astrophysics, will receive the 2017 Edward A. Bouchet Award.
September 15, 2016
Astronomer Garth Illingworth to receive Astronomical Society's Berkeley Prize
Illingworth will receive the 2016 Lancelot M. Berkeley – New York Community Trust Prize for Meritorious Work in Astronomy.
September 01, 2016
Astronauts sequence DNA in space using technology developed at UC Santa Cruz
DNA was sequenced in microgravity for the first time using a device based on UCSC's nanopore sequencing technology.
August 30, 2016
Anomalous grooves on Martian moon Phobos explained by impacts
Planetary scientists explain mysterious grooves on the surface of Mars' moon Phobos.
August 12, 2016
Three UC Santa Cruz Ph.D. candidates awarded AAUW fellowships
Three UC Santa Cruz Ph.D. candidates have been awarded 2016-2017 fellowships from the American Association of University Women (AAUW).
July 18, 2016
Follow-up of Kepler data yields more than 100 confirmed exoplanets
International team reports the biggest haul of new worlds yet uncovered by NASA's K2 mission.
July 06, 2016
Astronomers find evidence of water clouds in first spectrum of coldest brown dwarf
Difficult spectroscopic observations reveal properties of the coldest known object outside of our solar system.
June 07, 2016
The sky is no limit for planet-hunting grad student
Astronomy grad student Jennifer Burt helped write software that turned a powerful telescope at Lick Observatory into the first automated planet finder in the world.
May 20, 2016
Astronomer Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz awarded Niels Bohr Professorship
Award from the Danish National Research Foundation provides $5 million to fund research in theoretical astrophysics.
May 13, 2016
Astronomer Sandra Faber to receive honorary degree from Amherst College
Faber will receive an honorary degree from Amherst College during its commencement exercises on May 22.
April 22, 2016
Astronomer Lucianne Walkowicz will give annual Mandel Lecture on May 10
Astronomer and artist Lucianne Walkowicz will discuss the search for life in the universe in a free talk on Tuesday, May 10.
April 21, 2016
Astronomer Jonathan Fortney prepares for Cassini mission's grand finale
NASA has tapped Fortney to support the final act of its Cassini mission and serve on a science team starting to plan for a potential future mission to Uranus or Neptune.
April 20, 2016
Enthusiasm, excitement for discovery drives Grad Slam winner
Planetary science student Michael Nayak has opened up new fields of study and planetary data analysis.
April 11, 2016
More concerts and public telescope viewings planned for annual summer series at Lick Observatory
The observatory's 2016 program will feature more live music and lectures by renowned astronomers.
March 29, 2016
Lick Observatory field trip available to undergraduate students
Seeing and Knowing in Art and Astronomy offers undergraduates a chance to learn about the Lick Observatory's history and take part in workshops.
March 28, 2016
An eccentric 'hot Jupiter' yields clues to planet formation and evolution
Astronomers investigate how some gas giant planets end up so feverishly close to their stars.
March 17, 2016
Pluto's varied landscape reveals surprisingly complex geology
Pluto's icy surface shows an astonishing variety of landscapes and evidence of active geological processes in images from New Horizons.
March 03, 2016
Astronomers break cosmic distance record (again)
UCSC astronomer Garth Illingworth and his collaborators have been pushing the limits of current telescopes to study the most distant galaxies, breaking the record twice within a year
February 23, 2016
Two UC Santa Cruz professors win Sloan Research Fellowships
Astronomer Andrew Skemer and ecologist Kristy Kroeker are among the 2016 Sloan Research Fellows.
February 18, 2016
Astronomers plan science projects for powerful new space telescope
UCSC astronomers are involved in planning for WFIRST, a powerful new space telescope now under development by NASA.
February 03, 2016
Astronomy retiree Arnold Klemola establishes endowment for graduate students
Gift of $400,000 establishes the James Keeler Fund for Excellence in Astronomy and Astrophysics.