Research in the Astronomy department is centered around ground-based observational astronomy, computer simulations of dynamical and hydrodynamical motions in astronomical objects, and investigation of dark matter and dark energy. Within these broad categories can be found studies of the origin of the light elements using stellar spectroscopy, studies of globular clusters and compact objects in these clusters, and observational tests of galaxy evolution.
Research Areas
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Exoplanets
In the last two decades, astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets – planets that orbit stars other than our sun.
Stellar astrophysics
Searches for white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes in binary systems inform us about the endpoints of stellar evolution.
Stellar populations
Large stellar systems like galaxies and star clusters contain different populations of stars formed at different times or under different conditions.
Dynamics
How do star clusters evolve over time? How do the dynamical interactions among the stars affect the stellar content of clusters? N-body simulations of star clusters over time can help us answer these questions. Dynamics also tells us about the formation and evolution of planetary systems. How do orbits change over time, and do they remain stable?
Galaxies
How do galaxies form and evolve? How and why do galaxies form stars – or stop forming stars? Observations of galaxies across the full electromagnetic spectrum help us to understand the origin and evolution of galaxies.
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