Excellence in Space Sciences
From Earth to the edge of the universe, UC Santa Cruz makes giant impacts in astronomy, astrophysics, and planetary science. We are pioneering new technologies for giant telescopes, adaptive optics, and gamma-ray astrophysics; discovering planets beyond our solar system and the most distant galaxies in the universe; and reshaping paradigms in cosmology, astrophysics, and particle physics. From NASA missions to the UC Observatories, we help people see what has never been seen before.
Latest news
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Gifts accelerate research, from the galactic to the microscopic
Gifts from Ken and Gloria Levy support biomedical discovery that may help cancer patients as well as research on dark matter halos, some of the universe’s largest structures
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Astronomer Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz appointed to endowed chair for diversity in astronomy
The May 22 investiture ceremony honored Ramirez-Ruiz as the inaugural holder of the Vera Rubin Presidential Chair for Diversity in Astronomy.
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Astrophysicist Natalie Batalha will give annual Mandel Lecture on June 5
Free public talk will focus on Batalha's research on exoplanets and the search for life on other planets.
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Ancient galaxies reveal new clues about a cosmic transformation
The unexpected brightness of early galaxies may explain "reionization," a transformative epoch in the history of the universe.
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Astronomers assemble wide view of the evolving universe
A team led by UC Santa Cruz astronomer Garth Illingworth used 16 years of Hubble Space Telescope observations to create a new portrait of the distant universe.
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Sandra Faber receives American Philosophical Society's Magellanic Premium Medal
Faber was honored for her transformative research on galaxy formation and evolution.
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UC Santa Cruz hosts summer program on machine learning in astronomy
The Kavli Summer Program in Astrophysics brings together an international group of scientists and students for a six-week program of learning and research.
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Astronomer Natalie Batalha elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The academy's class of 2019 also includes UCSC alumnus Joe Palca, as well as Michelle Obama and Jonathan Franzen.
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Iron volcanoes may have erupted on metal asteroids
NASA's upcoming mission to the asteroid Psyche could look for signs of past eruptions, and evidence of 'ferrovolcanism' may also turn up in iron meteorites.
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Postdoctoral fellowship supports planetary science research
The 51 Pegasi b Fellowship will fund Xinting Yu's research at UC Santa Cruz on formation of clouds and hazes on exoplanets.
Related Links
Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Research
Astronomy and Astrophysics Department
Earth and Planetary Sciences Department
Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics
UC High-Performance Astrocomputing Center
Other Selected Links
Video Spotlight
Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees
From quasars to black holes, Martin Rees is at the center of astronomical research.
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