The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration has won the 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for creating the first image of a supermassive black hole, taken by means of an Earth-sized alliance of telescopes. The team included many current and former Illinois faculty, staff, and students, with simulations led by Astronomy and Physics Professor Charl
Astronomers Capture First Image of a Black HoleU of I researchers contribute to paradigm-shifting observations of the gargantuan black hole at the heart of distant galaxy Messier 87
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Featured StarTHETA CAR (θ Carinae)
EHT Collaboration Wins Breakthrough PrizeThe Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration has won the 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for creating the first image of a supermassive black hole, taken by means of an Earth-sized alliance of telescopes.
Help us name the Astronomy classroomThe Astronomy Department would like to name our Classroom the James B. Kaler Classroom in honor of beloved Prof. Emeritus Jim Kaler. Here's how you can help.
Get InvolvedExplore research opportunities for graduate students
Professor Yue Shen has been promoted to Associate Professor of Astronomy. Congratulations, Yue!
Congratulations to astronomy graduate student Jennifer Li on being selected to receive a 2019-20 NASA/Illinois Space Grant Consortium Fellowship!
More Department News
- Fifty years ago this month, human beings first walked on another world. Join Illinois Astronomers to celebrate this achievement.
- Congratulations to the Astronomy Class of 2019! Best wishes on your future endeavors--you make us proud! Twelve Astronomy and CS+Astronomy seniors graduated on May 12, 2019 at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
- Congratulations to Prof. Xin Liu for being awarded the prestigious Arnold O. Beckman Research Award for her project "A Systematic Search of Binary Supermassive Black Holes in the Dark Energy Survey".
- The 2019 Astronomy Awards have been announced:
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Astronomy Picture of the Day
ASTR 100Learn the basic concepts of modern astronomy, from the Solar System to the Big Bang.
ASTR 210Survey of modern astronomy for students with background in physics.
ASTR 350Studies the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe, and the scientific tools used to study these issues.
