Astronomy & Astrophysics
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Astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz wins AAS/HEAD Mid-Career Prize
The 2019 HEAD Mid-Career Prize recognizes Ramirez-Ruiz “for his key contributions to our physical understanding of transient phenomena involving compact objects.”
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Three UCSC undergrads honored for presentations at national astronomy meeting
Three UCSC undergraduates were among the winners of the Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Awards at the American Astronomical Society meeting.
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MaNGA data release includes detailed maps of thousands of nearby galaxies
Major data release from Sloan Digital Sky Survey includes galaxy maps, new data access and visualization tools, and a huge ‘stellar library’.
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Waves in Saturn’s rings give precise measurement of planet’s rotation rate
Saturn’s ring system acts as a sensitive seismograph, enabling scientists to measure the giant planet’s vibrations and determine its rotation rate.
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In Memoriam: Arnold Klemola (1931–2019)
Arnold Klemola, a long-time staff researcher at UC Observatories, passed away on January 5, 2019. He was 87.
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Seed-funding innovation
The UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board of Trustees seeks interesting new projects to fund.
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Kepler telescope captures extraordinary observations of a star’s death throes
Kepler’s observations of the supernova known as SN 2018oh showed an unexpected fast rise in brightness that may be an important clue to understanding the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae, which cosmologists use to study the expansion of the universe and dark energy.
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Planet discovered orbiting the second closest stellar system to the Earth
Measurements from high-precision instruments, including Keck’s HIRES and Lick’s Automated Planet Finder, reveal a cold super-Earth around Barnard’s star.
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NSF honors astronomer Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz among Hispanic leaders in science
In recognition of their efforts and Hispanic Heritage Month, the National Science Foundation profiled eight leaders in their fields.
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Three UCSC professors honored as Fellows of the California Academy of Sciences
Biologist Beth Shapiro and astronomers Claire Max and Natalie Batalha are among 14 new fellows elected to the California Academy of Sciences for 2018.
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Astronomer Natalie Batalha to receive Alumni Achievement Award
After serving as science lead for NASA’s Kepler Mission from 2011 to 2017, Batalha is returning to UC Santa Cruz as a professor of astronomy and astrophysics.
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NSF grant funds program to increase diversity in physics and astronomy
The Cal-Bridge program has received a $5 million grant to support Ph.D. pathways at 24 campuses.