In a new paper this month from Carlos Vargas and the Aspera team, readers get updates and context for the Steward Observatory-based mission. Learn more about this bold mission that aims to study galaxy evolution through UV light:

For 40 years, Michelle Cournoyer has supported students and faculty, solved problems, and shown up with heart. As she prepares to retire this August, we celebrate the impact of a true Steward Observatory legend:

The Rubin Observatory has captured its first images with the largest digital camera ever built—and many of its tiny, powerful sensors were made here at our Imaging Technology Lab! Now begins a decade-long survey of the night sky, powered by U of A tech.

The University of Arizona ranked #4 in space sciences globally according to the latest report from US News and World report -- and #2 among US public universities -- affirming Steward Observatory's longstanding leadership in astronomy. Read more:

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has released its first imagery: glowing nebulas, pulsating stars, swarms of asteroids and millions of galaxies. For Steward Observatory, this moment represents the culmination of decades of vision and hard work 🔭 Read more:

Lucy Steffes, a first-year graduate student in the Astronomy Department at The University of Arizona, is on a winning streak: in March, her poster on prestellar cores won second prize at an ESO meeting. Now, Lucy’s poster has won a Chambliss Award at AAS:

In the belly of the beast: Steward Observatory research associate Sean Linden’s latest research reveals the processes shaping galaxies in the early universe—the same processes which may shape our own Milky Way galaxy billions of years in the future:

“What a great moment for the future of American astronomy,” said Dr. Robert Shelton, President of the GMT: the telescope has received official approval from NSF, confirming that the observatory will advance into its Major Facilities Final Design Phase:

“The Giant Magellan Telescope will be a major upgrade for our ability to study planets around other stars, especially when we take pictures of them using the in-development instrument GMag AO-X,” says Steward Observatory's Jared Males. Read more:

An international team of astronomers that includes Associate Astronomer Chi-kwan Chan of Steward Observatory has trained a neural network with millions of synthetic black hole data sets--highlighting the potential for AI to advance astronomy discoveries:

Congratulations to Roswell Roberts IV, Astronomy major and winner of the Outstanding Senior Award in the Dept. of Hydrology & Atmospheric Science! Read Roswell's reflections on his time at U of A:

When is an alien world habitable? Steward Observatory's Daniel Apai explores this question in his latest article in The Conversation:

NASA has selected Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, to launch the Aspera mission, led by Steward Observatory's assistant astronomer Carlos Vargas. Aspera will study galaxy formation through the observation of ultraviolet light. Read more:

Congratulations to Nikhil Garuda, recipient of the College of Science Outstanding Senior Award. “The astronomical community thrives when knowledge flows freely between generations of researchers,” he says. Read his reflections on his time at Steward:

WEIRD UNIVERSE: this month, Professor Erika Hamden's book comes out! Her expertise shines through as she leads readers on an exploration of the strangest and most awe-inspiring phenomena in space. Secure a copy for yourself:

With all the buzz about the latest potential sign of life on a distant planet, Steward Observatory's astronomy professor Daniel Apai puts the discovery in context. Read his take:

A two-year NASA mission is using research from the Arizona Cosmology Lab to discover the origins of the Milky Way and the universe -- read about it in the Arizona Daily Star:

The new Astro Trail, featured in National Geographic, takes stargazers to 11 stops across the Tucson region, including Mount Graham International Observatory. Read about it -- and download the map -- here:

Quasars are easiest to find when they are at their most luminous. This makes Steward Observatory Assistant Research Professor Jianwei Lyu’s recent paper that much more unusual. Read about it:

The U of A Imaging Technology Lab has led the development of some of the most advanced astronomical image sensors available anywhere in the world. Now, the ITL team is turning their attention to cutting-edge infrared detectors. Read about it: