Research – Astronomy & Astrophysics

Cutting-Edge Research and Collaborative Excellence

This program combines leading research in observational astronomy, theoretical astrophysics, and instrumentation with a strong commitment to collaboration and education. Faculty and students work together to explore key questions in cosmology, galaxy formation, exoplanets, stellar evolution, and high-energy astrophysics, using world-class facilities and cutting-edge technology.

Research Areas

Image of a planet outside the Solar System.

Exoplanets

A dynamic group of exoplanet scientists includes leading planet hunters, theorists, and instrument developers working to discover, observe, and understand planets beyond our solar system. The Other Worlds Laboratory brings together exoplanet and solar system scientists to make connections between distant planetary systems and our solar system.

Adaptive Optics

Pioneered the development of adaptive optics technology, which removes the blurring of telescope images caused by turbulence in the atmosphere. Research at the Laboratory for Adaptive Optics supports development of adaptive optics systems for major telescope projects such as TMT.

Image of a galaxy cluster used in big data astronomy research.

Big Data and Machine Learning

Our faculty lead and are engaged in the next big data projects of Astronomy — HSC/Subaru, LSST, DESI — and are advancing machine learning algorithms to glean the science them.

Supercomputing

Largest group of computational astrophysics faculty in the world, exploring fundamental questions in astrophysics through the use of supercomputers at the UC Santa Cruz.

Cosmic contributions

UCSC Astronomy and Astrophysics faculty are heavily involved with scientific planning for NASA’s next generation of space-borne observatories, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope.

Image of Lick Observatory in front of a sunset.

Instrumental facilities

Headquarters of the University of California Observatories (UCO), which operates the Lick Observatory, W. M. Keck Observatory, and is the center for UC participation in the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) project.
Integrally involved in the design, construction, and use of the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii and the Lick Observatory near San Jose. Led development of Lick’s newest telescope, the Automated Planet Finder.