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Upcoming Events
- Hotaka Shiokawa, "GENERAL-RELATIVISTIC MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS SIMULATIONS OF BLACK HOLE ACCRETION DISKS: DYNAMICS AND RADIATIVE PROPERTIES
6/18/2013, 10:00 am - OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF THE ROLE OF MAGNETIC FIELDS IN STAR FORMATION, NICHOLAS SZANDOR HAKOBIAN
6/27/2013, 10:00 am - David Rebolledo, "Gas Distribution, Star Formation and Giant Molecular Cloud Evolution in Nearby Spiral Galaxies"
7/11/2013, 3:00 pm
Picture of the Day
Comet PanSTARRS with Anti Tail
Star of the Week
SotW 05/10/2013: Pi Leonis
Tucked into western Leo just under five degrees south southwest of Regulus and just north of the border with Sextans lies fifth magnitude Pi Leonis, a giant star of a somewhat different breed. Most, of class K, are quietly fusing helium into carbon and oxygen in their deep cores. But they have to get there first. Class M Pi Leo may be a good example of a red giant in transition. Pi's claim to any sort of fame is that it is most likely close to the high-luminosity tip of the "red giant branch" o ... Full Details
Open Positions
Fortner Postdoctoral Research Associate - Close Date: Jan. 30, 2013
NCSA: Research Scientist - Dark Energy Survey - Close Date: Jan. 31. 2013
News
Phil Plait, "Bad Astronomy" author, visits the U of I Observatory
Phil Plait, author of popular astronomy books "Bad Astronomy" and "Killer Skies," visited the University of Illinois Observatory after delivering the keynote speech for the 2013 Engineering Open House. Dr. Plait got a great view of Jupiter through the historic 12-inch refractor, posed for some pictures, and gave the campaign to raise funds for the restoration of the telescope a mention in his blog! Thanks, Phil! ... Full Details
Fall 2012 Excellent Astronomy Teachers
The Astronomy Department would like to offer its congratulations to members of the department named to the "List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent" by the Center for Teaching Excellence for the Fall 2012 semester. Included on the list were Prof. Robert Brunner, Prof. Brian Fields, Prof. Charles Gammie, Prof. Athol Kemball, and Dr. Brett Hayes. ... Full Details
IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE: A MINUTE WITH U. OF I. ASTRONOMER LESLIE LOONEY
On Friday, Feb. 15, an asteroid named 2012 DA14 will pass very closely to Earth. The trajectory of the 150-foot-diameter rock is the nearest fly-by ever predicted for an asteroid this large even closer than some satellites. In an interview with News Bureau physical sciences editor Liz Ahlberg, astronomy professor Leslie Looney discusses the asteroid and its looming approach. ... Full Details