Astronomy
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Keivan Stassun appointed to National Science Board by President Joe Biden
Keivan Stassun, Stevenson Professor of Physics and Astronomy and director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University, has been appointed to the National Science Board by President Joe Biden. Read MoreJan 26, 2023
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The Sky Is for Everyone: A definitive collection of stories from the women reshaping astronomy since 1960
David Weintraub’s commitment to equal opportunity in astronomy inspired his latest book, The Sky Is for Everyone. The autobiographical essays by women who broke down barriers and changed the face of modern astronomy include a chapter by alum Yilen Gómez Maqueo Chew. Read MoreAug 1, 2022
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Vanderbilt astronomers discover exceedingly rare star
A team of astronomers has made the discovery of a lifetime that will help answer burning questions on the evolution of stars. The group is led by Keivan Stassun, Evolutionary Studies Initiative member and Stevenson Professor of Physics and Astronomy. Read MoreFeb 11, 2022
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Vanderbilt’s Bob O’Dell elected 2022 fellow of American Astronomical Society for role in creating Hubble Space Telescope
Robert O’Dell, Distinguished Research Professor of Physics and Astronomy, has been named a 2022 fellow of the American Astronomical Society for extraordinary achievement and service to the field of astronomy. He is among 23 fellows being inducted into the AAS this year. Read MoreJan 20, 2022
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Vanderbilt receives $3M from National Science Foundation to launch cutting-edge astronomy graduate program
Vanderbilt University researchers from the departments of physics and astronomy, math, electrical engineering, and history have received a $3 million National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Award to establish a graduate certificate program in the emerging field of multimessenger astronomy. Read MoreJan 18, 2022
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Vanderbilt researchers contribute to promising global search for gravitational waves
International astronomy collaboration strengthens evidence for signal that may hint at ultra-low frequency gravitational waves. Read MoreJan 14, 2022
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Stephen Taylor receives NSF CAREER award to study gravitational waves from supermassive black holes
Stephen Taylor, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, has received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program award to further his efforts to probe ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves. Read MoreDec 14, 2021
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Vanderbilt astronomer co-authors seminal roadmap for the next decade of U.S. research in outer space
Keivan Stassun joins leading astronomers to write "Astro2020," a once-in-a-decade guide for astronomy research, prioritizing gargantuan telescopes on the ground and in orbit as well as increased diversity and inclusion. Read MoreNov 15, 2021
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Academic experts across disciplines tackle questions surrounding the origins of life
The School of Medicine Basic Sciences brought together a biologist, a Christian theologist, a philosopher and an astrophysicist June 17 for a lab-to-table conversation exploring their views and academic perspectives on the origins of life. Read MoreJul 7, 2021
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Research Snapshot: Astrophysicists prepare for age of multimessenger astronomy; build galaxy catalog to study black holes
Led by Vanderbilt astrophysicists, researchers work with data from thousands of galaxies to investigate the origins and physics of black hole binaries in nearby galaxies. Est. reading time: 2 mins. Read MoreJun 23, 2021
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National Science Foundation renews funding to support detection of gravitational waves, led locally by Stephen Taylor
NSF funding will support the development of new techniques to search for signatures of exotic interstellar phenomena. Read MoreJun 21, 2021
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Research Snapshot: Vanderbilt astronomers lead preparation for supermassive black hole analysis
Vanderbilt astronomers lead group that created the roadmap for studying supermassive black holes after detecting the low-frequency gravitational waves they create. Est. reading time: 2 mins. Read MoreMay 7, 2021
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Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory to host virtual star party April 17
Join Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory on Saturday, April 17, at 8 p.m. CT for a free, educational star party and discussion. Read MoreApr 5, 2021
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Voyager missions discussion hosted by Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory on March 25
Billy Teets, director and resident astronomer for Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, will lead a discussion of the history of the Voyager spacecraft—including their engineering, major discoveries and what they are up to today. The virtual event will be at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, March 25. Read MoreMar 22, 2021
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Vanderbilt scientists sketch rare star system using more than a century of astronomical observations
Vanderbilt astronomers have painted their best picture yet of an RV Tauri variable—a rare type of stellar binary—by mining a 130-year-old dataset that spans the widest range of light yet collected for one of these systems, from radio waves to X-rays. Read MoreMar 15, 2021
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Student’s fascination with astronomy inspires first completed Immersion Vanderbilt project
Thanks to her passion for astronomy, as well as mentoring from faculty, undergraduate Samantha Bianco is both a named co-author on a graduate-level scientific research paper and the first Vanderbilt student officially to have completed an Immersion Vanderbilt project. Read MoreJan 25, 2021
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Digital Sky Survey maps the entire sky, providing new data to Vanderbilt astronomers
Through a partnership with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Vanderbilt astronomers use big data to see the cosmos as a stop-motion movie instead of a snapshot. Read MoreJan 4, 2021
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December events at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory
Learn how federal policy shapes space exploration, observe a once-in-a-lifetime planetary conjunction and more this month with Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory. Read MoreDec 9, 2020
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Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory offers free virtual tour of the night sky on Saturday, Nov. 14
Take a guided tour of the autumn skies during a star party led by Billy Teets, acting director and outreach astronomer for Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory. Stargaze on Saturday, Nov. 14, and learn how to buy a home telescope from a Vanderbilt astronomer on Thursday, Nov. 19. Read MoreNov 11, 2020
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Vanderbilt astrophysicist part of international team that discovered a gargantuan ‘alien’ black hole that challenges previous knowledge of the universe
The intermediate-mass black hole first observed in May 2019 presents an entirely new category of black hole. Read MoreSep 2, 2020