Miranda Eiben chosen as one of the Field Scholarship recipients
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Miranda Eiben, a double-major in astronomy and engineering, is one of the recipients of the Field Scholarship given by the UMass Alumni Association.
News & Events
Astronomy major, Kenneth Lin, awarded Summer Fellowship in Japan
Friday, April 6, 2018
One of our Astronomy majors, Kenneth Lin, was just awarded a prestigious summer fellowship to do research in Japan. The program is called the 2018 Nakatani RIES U.S. Fellows Program.
Professor Alex Pope featured in promotional video
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Professor Alex Pope was featured in a women in science promotional video recently made at UMass Amherst.
Knowledge Across Borders: a Celebration of US-Mexico Scholarly Exchanges
Friday, November 17, 2017
David Hughes from INAOE speaking at "Knowledge Across Borders: a Celebration of US-Mexico Scholarly Exchanges" in the Old Chapel on Monday, November 13, 2017. He was joined on the panel by Alex Pope from UMass, James Lowenthal from Smith College, Shep Doeleman from CfA, and Mexican astronomers Itziar Aretxaga and Miguel Chavez from INAOE and Irene Cruz-Gonzalez from UNAM. A focus for the day was the collaboration on the Large Millimeter Telescope, Gran Telescopio Milimetrico Alfonso Serrano.
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Professors Calzetti and Giavalisco Listed in the 2017 Highly Cited Researchers List
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Professor Daniela Calzetti and Professor Mauro Giavalisco were listed in the 2017 Highly Cited Researchers list, of the Web of Science. They recently received an email from Clarivate Analytics (formerly known as Thompson Reuters) congratulating them on this honor. The email went on to say that their "....research ranks among the top 1% most cited works in their field and during its year of publication, earning the mark of exceptional impact. It is truly an honor to recognize researchers like you for your dedication and focus to expanding the sphere of human knowledge."
Using Powerful New Telescope, Astronomers Observe One of Universes Oldest Objects
Monday, November 13, 2017
Astronomers using the Large Millimeter Telescope, which is operated jointly by UMass Amherst and Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica, report in Nature Astronomy that they have detected the second most distant dusty, star-forming galaxy ever found - born in the first billion years after the Big Bang.
Astronomers Confirm Observing One of the Oldest Objects in the Universe
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Astronomers using the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) confirm observing one of the oldest objects in the universe.
Nobel Laureate and Former Faculty Member Joseph H. Taylor to Deliver Sternheim Lecture
Friday, October 6, 2017
Nobel laureate and former University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty Joseph H. Taylor will deliver the third annual Helen and Morton Sternheim Lecture on Tuesday, October 10 at 4:00 PM in 20 Hasbrouck Hall.
Autumn Equinox at the UMass Amherst Sunwheel
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Watch time-lapse of the autumnal equinox sunrise and sunset at UMass Amherst's sunwheel.
UMass Amherst Sunwheel and Sky-Watching Events Mark the Autumnal Equinox on Sept. 22
Thursday, September 21, 2017
The public is invited to witness sunrise and sunset associated with the autumnal equinox among the standing stones of the UMass Amherst Sunwheel on Friday, September 22 at 6:49 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Astronomy Department Solar Eclipse Event
Friday, August 11, 2017
The Department of Astronomy will hold the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse event at the Sunwheel. The event will begin at 1:20 PM, and will continue until the end of the eclipse. Astronomy Professor Daniela Calzetti and Mr. Tom Whitney of the Astronomy Association (www.astronomyassociation.org) will be hosting the event, and they expect to have four solar telescopes on site. The Sunwheel is located south of McGuirk Alumni Stadium, just off Rocky Hill Road (Amity Street) about one-quarter mile south of University Drive.
Smith College professor conducts groundbreaking research on distant galaxies
Monday, July 31, 2017
Smith College Professor James Lowenthal conducts groundbreaking research on distant galaxies.
It Takes a Planet
Monday, July 31, 2017
Astronomers train an "Earth-sized" telescope, including UMass Amherst's LMT, on our galactic center.
Professor Neal Katz receives Fulbright Scholar Award
Monday, July 31, 2017
Theoretical astronomy professor Neal Katz has received a Fulbright Scholarship award for studies in South Africa.
Sunwheel and Sky-Watching Events to Mark Summer Solstice on June 21
Friday, June 16, 2017
The public is invited to witness the summer solstice sunrise and sunset among the standing stones of the Sunwheel on Wednesday, June 21 at 5 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Hubblesite Press Release at 2017 AAS Summer Meeting in Austin, TX
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Professor James Lowenthal (Smith College) and Professor Min Yun (UMass Amherst) did a press release at the 2017 AAS Summer meeting in Austin, TX, today, as prepared by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). Professors Daniel Wang and Grant Wilson (both from UMass Amherst) are also collaborators on this project.
Professor Daniel Wang gives invited talk at AAS Meeting
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Professor Daniel Wang gave an invited talk on the central massive black hole of our Galaxy at the AAS meeting on June 6, 2017.
UMass film studies student awarded Best Documentary Film on Kevin Harrington
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Rob Hunt, a UMass Film Studies student, made a documentary film about Kevin Harrington ('16) this year for his senior thesis. This film won the Michael S. Roif Award for the Best Documentary Film.
Graduating Astronomy Senior Ryan Boyden Awarded 21st Century Leader Award
Friday, May 5, 2017
For the second year in a row, an Astronomy major has been awarded the 21st Century Leader Award. It was recently announced that Ryan Boyden, a double major in Astronomy and Physics will receive this prestigious award. Congratulations to Ryan, and also to Professor Stella Offner, who mentored Ryan in his research.
Tara Dowd Awarded 2017 David J. Van Blerkom Research Scholarship in Astronomy
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Tara Dowd has been awarded this year's David J. Van Blerkom Research Scholarship in Astronomy. Here is a description of the Scholarship: An endowment fund established by Janet Van Blerkom. The purpose of the fund is to endow undergraduate research scholarships in the Department of Astronomy in memory of her husband, David J. Van Blerkom, Professor of Astronomy at the University of Massachusetts. Professor Van Blerkom came to UMass as aPostdoctoral Fellow in 1969, joined the faculty in 1970, served as Chair of the Astronomy Program from 1980-1999, and then continued on the faculty until 2001. This scholarship fund is awarded based on academic excellence to a University of Massachusetts undergraduate and supports a research internship for that undergraduate.