astronomy
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May 24, 2023
U-M only U.S. university helping build massive telescope
The Extremely Large Telescope — the largest optical telescope ever built — could change everything we know about the universe, and U-M is the only U.S. university involved in building it.
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November 21, 2022
Heritage Project — Vulcan’s muddy light
Astronomer James Craig Watson was U-M’s “brightest son.” After discovering 22 asteroids between 1863-77, during a solar eclipse in 1878, Watson was sure he’d observed the rumored intra-mercurial planet Vulcan.
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May 12, 2022
U-M scientist part of effort to show image of Milky Way black hole
Mark Reynolds, an associate research scientist in LSA’s Department of Astronomy, was part of a team of astronomers who helped unveil the first image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
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May 11, 2022
Astronomers find ‘gold standard’ star in Milky Way
In our sun’s neighborhood of the Milky Way galaxy is a relatively bright star, and in it, astronomers have been able to identify the widest range of elements in a star beyond our solar system yet.
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March 30, 2022
Detroit Observatory reopens with new educational potential
After a three-year expansion project, the Detroit Observatory is ready for the U-M community and public to again explore the stars. An April 8 symposium will feature the observatory’s past, present and future.
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November 8, 2021
Astronomers suggest radiation drives superwinds in some galaxies
When astronomers observe superwinds traveling at extremely high speeds from super star clusters, or “starbursts,” they previously assumed the winds were driven by supernovae, the explosions of stars.
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May 26, 2020
Astronomy professor works to preserve celestial darkness
Astronomy professor Sally Oey is tackling light pollution as she works to raise awareness of the problem and help people realize the benefits of darkness. She is the founder of Michigan Dark Skies.
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March 30, 2020
COVID-19 pandemic disrupts U-M research projects far and wide
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, a wide variety of U-M research projects are feeling the effects. Here are just a few of those individual researchers who have been affected.
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July 6, 2017
U-M astronomer part of Jupiter-like planet discovery
A U-M professor is part of a team that has discovered a giant, Jupiter-like planet that revolves around a star approximately 385 light years from the sun.
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October 17, 2016
U-M helps find solar system’s second-most distant minor planet
Astronomers at U-M and their colleagues on the Dark Energy Survey have discovered a new dwarf planet that’s more than 90 times farther from the sun than Earth.
