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Astronomy

In search of signals from the early universe
a person in a hard had working inside a large telescope detector

In search of signals from the early universe

Penn astronomers are part of an international collaboration to construct the Simons Observatory, a new telescope that will search the skies in a quest to learn more about the formation of the universe.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Remembering the past while looking forward
lunar landing boot print

Buzz Aldrin’s boot print from the Apollo 11 mission, one of the first steps taken on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Aldrin walked on the Moon on July 20, 1969. (Photo: NASA)

Remembering the past while looking forward

As the nation celebrates the Apollo 11 mission, a look at Penn’s connection to the historic event and how the Moon impacts science, politics, and culture.

Erica K. Brockmeier

A two-minute totality, an opportunity of a lifetime
the sun covered by the moon during an eclipse, set against a darkening dusky sky with a black flat horizon in the foreground

A two-minute totality, an opportunity of a lifetime

Graduate student David Sliski observed the July 2 eclipse at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile as a member of a scientific team tasked with imaging the sun’s corona.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Stories of Penn scientists: David Rittenhouse
David Rittenhouse

Stories of Penn scientists: David Rittenhouse

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of his observations of the 1769 transit of Venus, a glimpse into the story of the man whose name became synonymous with astronomy and mathematics.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Philadelphia: The new city of science
a large group of people in front of the Franklin Institute building with a science demonstration (with smoke and the aftermath of an explosion that caused colored balls to fly into the air) in the foreground

The Philadelphia Science Festival, happening from April 26th until May 4th, brings together hundreds of institutions from the Greater Philadelphia area and culminates in the grand finale Science Carnival along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (Photo credit: Philadelphia Science Festival). 

Philadelphia: The new city of science

Penn researchers will be involved in a weeklong series of interactive activities and events across the city as part of the Philadelphia Science Festival.

Erica K. Brockmeier

By the numbers: First-ever image of black hole’s event horizon
inset image of black hole surrounded by a ring of light and a larger image showing where the black hole sits inside a galaxy

By the numbers: First-ever image of black hole’s event horizon

An overview of how scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration were finally able to see the unseeable, and what it means for the future of astronomy.,

Erica K. Brockmeier

The search for Planet 9, 10, and beyond
a large black circle in the center of the milky way galaxy with a very small Sun in the background

Artist’s impression of Planet Nine, depicted as a dark sphere with the Milky Way in the background. Neptune’s orbit is shown as a small ellipse around the Sun. The sky view and appearance are based on the conjectures of Planet Nine’s co-proposer, Mike Brown (Image: Tom Ruen).

The search for Planet 9, 10, and beyond

Planetary scientists and cosmologists at Penn work together to find planets that might be hiding in the far reaches of the solar system.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Women in Physics Group inspires the next generation of physicists and astronomers
a group of women talking while sitting around a table

Willman (center) and a group of undergraduates, including physics majors as well as students studying other STEM-related disciplines, chatted informally over breakfast about their personal experiences as STEM students and researchers.   

Women in Physics Group inspires the next generation of physicists and astronomers

Students had the opportunity to interact with a world-renowned astronomer during a day of informal get-togethers, networking events, and physics lectures at the annual conference.

Erica K. Brockmeier