The Universe in Us
Icko Iben Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series in Astronomy
Join the Department of Astronomy and Professor Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Director of the Center for Reimagining Leadership at UC Santa Cruz, for this year's Icko Iben Jr. Distinguished Lecture, "The Universe in Us." The lecture will take place in the Lincoln Hall Theater on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, from 7-8 p.m.
Where did the building blocks of life come from? The talk explores how hundreds of millions of celestial events have forged the elements that make up the Solar System, Earth, and us. From the oxygen we breathe to the iron in our blood, the silicon in Earth’s mantle to the uranium that warms our planet’s core and helps give our planet its protective magnetic field, we owe it all to the stars!
Astronomy News
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Astrofest 2025
Illini AstroFest is being organized to bring together members of the astrophysics community from around campus to showcase our research, encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration, and build community. It will take place on April 25, 2025, from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.
There will be poster sessions in the morning and afternoon. All members of the Illinois campus community are welcome to attend. This event is specifically geared towards early-career researchers and faculty members. Registration by April 11 is required to attend, and all registered participants are asked to present a one-minute introductory slide.
Astronomy Events
- Tue, Mar 11, 3:45 pm
- Wed, Mar 12, 12:00 pm
- Wed, Mar 12, 4:00 pm
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Real data, real experiences
The universe provides plenty of room for exploration. Astronomy classes make use of vast, modern datasets to give you hands-on experience with real data.
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100 gifts for 100 years
In celebration of the department’s centennial, we’re asking for your help to replenish the department’s annual fund. Our goal is 100 gifts for 100 years.
Introduction to Astronomy
Learn the basic concepts of modern astronomy, from the Solar System to the Big Bang.
Introduction to Astrophysics
Survey of modern astronomy for students with background in physics.
The Big Bang, Black Holes, and the End of the Universe
Studies the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe, and the scientific tools used to study these issues.
Galaxies and the Universe
Explore elementary aspects of physical cosmology, including galaxies in our Local Group, starburst galaxies, and quasars.
Computing in Astronomy
An introduction to the use of computers in astrophysics research.
Astronomy picture of the day
Discover the cosmos with NASA.gov. Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.