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Meet...Sarah Hughes

We work among extraordinary people doing extraordinary things; get to know some of them by reading these quick-fire interviews.

Close-up of the fibre positioner, built in Oxford, for WEAVE

Telescope upgrade could unlock secrets of the Universe

After ten years of planning, design and construction, final preparations are underway for a brand new all-seeing instrument to be switched on at the William Herschel Telescope: a pioneering eye on the sky for the northern hemisphere.

Meet...Peter Hatfield

We work among extraordinary people doing extraordinary things; get to know some of them by reading these quick-fire interviews.

Simulation of first stars and galaxies

Commentary: Dr Harley Katz on the cosmic dawn

Dr Harley Katz, Beecroft Fellow in Cosmology, comments on the latest exciting evidence pin

Beecroft building, Department of Physics, Oxford

Department of Physics recognised in Impact Awards

The Department of Physics has been recognised in the University of Oxford’s annual Maths, Physics and Life Sciences Impact Awards: Ramy Aboushelbaya won the Early Career Impact Award while Peter Hatfield won the Public Engagement with Research award..

Female students in a red bubble with Professor Katherine Blundell looking up at the night sky through a telescope

Global Jet Watch: discovery of jets in classical novae

Scientists at the University of Oxford have discovered that classical nova explosions are accompanied by the ejection of jets of oppositely-directed hot gas and plasma, and that this persists for years following the nova eruption.

Artist's impression of what the two-planet system might look like

Citizen scientists identify nearby two-planet system

Planet Hunters TESS, a citizen science project led by a team at the University of Oxford and hosted by the Zooniverse platform, has discovered a two-planet system around a nearby star.

Researchers chat to members of the community about the solar system and space-related research

A trip around the solar system

More than 170 visitors took a trip around the solar system - in Oxford University Parks!

Image of gamma-ray burst taken by HESS

Oxford astronomers in front-row view of exceptional cosmic explosion

An international team of scientists including astronomers from the University of Oxford have gained the best view yet of the brightest explosions in the universe.

The night sky from ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile.

Ancient ‘fossil’ galaxies offer insight into formation of the Universe

Dr Chiara Spiniello from Oxford’s Department of Physics is leading work to study 'fossilised' galaxies – galaxies frozen in time from when they were formed almost 10 billion years ago.

Cosmic accelerator

Scientists uncover cosmic particle accelerator

Professor Rob Fender from Oxford’s Department of Physics gathered and interpreted radio observations that helped an international collaboration of scientists discover a gigantic cosmic particle accelerator.

22 February 2021

Screen grab of Dr Becky Smethurst during the Stargazing Oxford@Home event

Stargazing Oxford@Home

Our annual Stargazing event is an afternoon and evening of fascinating talks, hands-on activities and, not surprisingly, telescopes; this year, we stage a pandemic-proof online edition.

1 February 2021