Steward Observatory, University of Arizona

An unidentified reddish blob spotted by U of A astronomers has officially been confirmed as WISPIT 2c — a newborn giant planet about 10 times the mass of Jupiter and only 5 million years old. It's part of one of the youngest solar systems ever discovered! bit.ly/4ma4N0A

Earlier this month, Prize Fellow Aldana Grichener organized a packed multi-day nuclear physics workshop, designed to push the frontiers of this fast-moving field. Now, tutorials from the sessions are publicly available to explore! Access them here: bit.ly/3NZAtci

Here is watercolorist Thordis Maaske's impression of the Kappa Tucanae A star system, recently discovered by Steward postdoc Thomas Stuber. The discovery gives scientists their first natural "laboratory" for understanding hot exozodiacal dust. Learn more: bit.ly/4lUa24o

Steward Observatory grad student Himansh Rathore has led a new study revealing that the Small Magellanic Cloud was transformed by a direct collision with its neighbor — upending decades of assumptions about how we use it to study the universe. bit.ly/4sV2eSk

Big room, bigger questions! Thanks to Dr. Chris Impey for sparking rich conversation at last week’s SkillSpace workshop in science communication at the Arizona Astrobiology Center.

Steward teams are building instruments for Lazuli — a new space telescope launching by 2029 as part of the Eric & Wendy Schmidt Observatory System. Our adaptive optics will image giant exoplanets nearly a billion times dimmer than their host stars! bit.ly/4dkXYH1

The first University of Arizona Galaxy Slam brought together two of the university's biggest strengths – space science and basketball – in a weeklong celebration. Read Steward astronomers' reflections on the parallels between sports and astronomy: bit.ly/4shJyM5

Pandora is the first satellite of NASA’s Pioneers Program to ascend into space. For many team members, Pandora marks another first: it’s the first spacecraft launch of their careers. Read more in Nature Magazine: bit.ly/4cjGj2a

As NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope approaches its anticipated fall 2026 launch, the Arizona Cosmology Lab is making sure the next generation of scientists is ready: bit.ly/4b52U14

Supermassive black holes aren't just destroying stars in their own galaxies — they're suppressing star formation in galaxies millions of light-years away. Research led by postdoc Yongda Zhu reveals that quasars act as "cosmic predators:" bit.ly/4s96RYt

Galaxy Slam Week continues! Join us Monday, Feb 16 at 7:30 PM for our public evening lecture, "Beardown, Look Up: AI on the Cosmic Court." Learn how AI helps us image black holes, transform education, and push the boundaries of discovery: bit.ly/3OETIrt.

Congrats to our astronomy students for their AAS Chambliss Student Poster Competition wins! Rafael Bertolotto, Olivia Culbert & Kate Gold shined among 480+ entries nationwide. Read more about their stories and their posters: bit.ly/4kcJPx2

Congrats to Dr. Kate Alexander & Dr. Carl Fields on winning 2025 Scialog Awards, for their groundbreaking research with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory to study black holes, stellar explosions & the universe's first massive objects: bit.ly/3ZkGvGJ

Professor of Astronomy Dan Marrone helped capture the first-ever image of a black hole. Now, he has been honored as a AAS Fellow in recognition of his significant contributions to modern radio and submillimeter astrophysics. bit.ly/4puJdDO

Congrats to Rosie Johnson on receiving the CoSSAC Star Award! As Project Manager at Steward Observatory, she supports 140+ faculty, postdocs & students across multiple programs. Her exceptional organizational skills keep UA astronomy thriving. bit.ly/4jtPBtG

Eric and Wendy Schmidt spearhead 4 next-gen telescopes with U of A astronomers leading the development of the LFAST (Large Format Array for Time-domain Studies) facility and contributing key technology like advanced coronagraphs. Read more bit.ly/3NdBdtA

Michelle Cournoyer retired this August having helped thousands of students, faculty, and staff navigate the complex systems of the university over the course of her four-decade career. Now, we look back on her legacy: bit.ly/4hIY1fQ

Steward Observatory's Distinguished Professor of Astronomy Chris Impey has been awarded the 2025 Cosmos Prize for his book "Worlds Without End." The prestigious award was presented during the Cosmos Festival in Reggio Calabria, Italy. Read more: bit.ly/4ovOMT0

"We're pioneering a new era of small-satellite research," Carlos Vargas said at the Arizona Athletics Wildcat Club donor event in Houston. He connected athletics with space research in his talk, and highlighted the upcoming Aspera mission -- read about it: bit.ly/3JmiXNh

Join us for a ghoulish night of frights and fascinations with our Spooktacular SkyNights Program, Oct 31 and Nov 1! Our team of undead astronomers will take you on a journey through the cosmic web, unraveling secrets not meant for mere mortals. Tickets: bit.ly/4pZjfdf