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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Lick Observatory expands evening programs for the public this summer
Tickets for the popular concert and lecture series and new evening tours on Mount Hamilton go on sale at noon on Wednesday, April 18.
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UCSC astronomer Alexie Leauthaud wins Sloan Research Fellowship
The Sloan Research Fellowships honor early-career scholars whose achievements mark them as among the very best scientific minds working today.
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Earliest galaxies in the universe spin like the Milky Way
Astronomers looking back to a time soon after the big bang have discovered swirling gas in some of the earliest galaxies to have formed in the universe.
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Neutron star merger observations hailed as scientific breakthrough of the year
Both Science and Physics World noted the significance of the findings in which UC Santa Cruz astronomers played a key role.
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Supermassive black holes control star formation in large galaxies
Astronomers found a close correlation between the mass of a galaxy's central black hole and its star formation history.
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Osterbrock Leadership Program awards mini-grants to six astronomy grad students
The Osterbrock Leadership Program provides experiences and opportunities for astronomy graduate students to develop leadership and management skills.
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Physicist Tesla Jeltema probes the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy
Jeltema has a leading role in the Dark Energy Survey, a major international collaboration that is gathering precise measurements of the evolution of cosmic structure.
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Pluto's hydrocarbon haze keeps dwarf planet colder than expected
A new analysis of Pluto's atmosphere explains why the New Horizons spacecraft measured temperatures much colder than predicted.
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Astronomer Xavier Prochaska receives Outstanding Faculty Award
J. Xavier Prochaska, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, has received the 2016-17 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences.
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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