High Impact
Discovery
DESI
UC Santa Cruz researchers hold crucial roles in “Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument” collaboration
JWST
We lead innovative observations from exoplanet atmospheres to galaxy formation with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
FRB
UC Santa Cruz astrophysicists are recognized for advancing research on the mysterious Fast Radio Bursts (FRB)
Exploring the Universe, Inspiring Discovery
UC Santa Cruz is a world-renowned leader in astronomy and astrophysics. We are innovators and leaders across observations, instrumentation, and computational astrophysics.
In the News
A student’s trajectory from Tanzania and transformation into a scientist
On its 150th anniversary, Lick Observatory draws on its legacy of pioneering research to continue producing the next generation of scientific instruments, techniques, and astronomers
Postdoctoral researcher to develop instrumentation to detect distant protoplanets
Supported by the new Astronova Fellowship program, Christina Vides will advance her research in a technique that sharpens the images from astronomical telescopes in order to detect faint planets in the glare of their bright host stars
Celebrating a shared cosmos and advancing Black equity in space science
Black in Astro, co-led by an astronomy postdoc at UC Santa Cruz, welcomes all to join the grassroots organization’s virtual conference to find inspiration and connection in a vibrant global community
Department Seminars
Join us for our Astronomy and Astrophysics seminars, including Astronomy Colloquium. Get the chance to hear from experts in the field from universities all over the world, including here at Santa Cruz! Check our seminar calendar for other regular departmental events as well.
Click here to add the Astro Events calendar.
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Meet the People
From faculty and researchers to staff and graduate students, our people are the engine which drives the incredible research and education across our state-of-the-art facilities and laboratories.
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Support Us
Private support has long been vital to progress in astronomy. At UCSC, your gift helps fund innovative research and educational opportunities beyond the reach of public funding—directly impacting the work of our students and faculty.
