Spring 2025

Letter from the Chair

Dear Astronomy Community,

 

There are moments in our field when years of collective effort culminate in something truly extraordinary. On April 15, 2025, our department witnessed such a moment when the first on-sky engineering data from the Simonyi Telescope's LSSTCam was displayed. If you haven't already, please take a look at the photo accompanying this newsletter – those expressions of joy and wonder tell the story better than any words can.

I can't help but feel bot­­h elated and worried as I look at those beaming faces. We've achieved something remarkable, yet at the same time, we're hearing about proposed budget cuts that threaten to slash science funding in the United States by nearly 50%.  These proposals would impact missions that represent decades of planning, billions in investment, and the dreams of countless scientists.

Looking at that team photo from Rubin nevertheless gives me hope. Our field has never had it easy. We keep going because curiosity is woven into our being.  We keep going because every time we make a new discovery, people lean in and pay attention. When that first image from LSST appeared, you could see on everyone's faces exactly why astronomy endures.

 

And nowhere is that enduring spirit more evident than in our students. Our department's graduation ceremony on Friday, June 13th will celebrate our graduating bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. students alongside family, friends, and our entire Astronomy community. Their achievements represent our future, and what a bright future it is! Please join us in celebrating our incredible UW Astronomy students – some of whom are featured in this newsletter.

When I get discouraged about budget proposals, I remind myself why we're all here in the first place. It's definitely not the money - it's those moments when we glimpse something no one has ever seen before. That shared excitement is what makes us a community, not organizational charts or funding lines.

The stars will continue to shine, and so will we.

Faculty Spotlight: Professor Nora Shipp

Interviewed by Professor Jess Werk

Nora Shipp: Assistant Professor of Astronomy

On the first warm spring afternoon of the year, Nora and I had to shed our jackets on our walk up the hill to Tea Republik. Dr. Shipp is one of the University of Washington's newest astronomy faculty members, and an emerging leader in Near-field Cosmology. As cherry blossoms floated past the window, we discussed the mysteries of dark matter, the future of stellar stream research, and finding joy in academic work. Professor Shipp uses stellar streams in the Milky Way's halo to constrain dark matter properties—research that recently earned her the prestigious Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) Scialog grant for Early Science with the LSST.

 

 

 

Q: What got you interested in near-field cosmology? Why this field, of all the things you could study?

"I've always been really interested in the big picture questions about our universe—the origin of the universe, and currently, the nature of dark matter, which is such a big mystery in physics right now."

She takes a sip of tea before continuing. "I like that we can use astrophysical observations to study these really big questions about how the universe evolves. What's particularly appealing about astrophysical studies of dark matter is that even when we're not finding its nature immediately, we're still learning fascinating things about the Milky Way and different structures in our galaxy along the way. It's a really nice balance of very big, long-term goals with serendipitous discoveries that happen in the process."

Q: Tell me about your academic trajectory. Did you always know you wanted to study astrophysics?

 

"I've been interested in astronomy since before I could read. I used to check out those books for kids with pictures of planets from the library. But I've definitely considered other career options. When I was younger, I did ballet very intensely—I was even an apprentice with a professional ballet company and briefly thought about pursuing ballet professionally before returning to astronomy."

 

"I didn't apply to grad school right out of undergrad because I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to do astronomy research. I was also interested in science writing and science policy. But I really enjoyed my undergrad thesis research in indirect detection of dark matter, so I went to do a post-bac at Goddard with the Fermi collaboration before applying to grad school."

 

"Even at the end of grad school, I wasn't totally sure I wanted to stick with academic astronomy. I was interested in applying data science techniques to issues with more direct societal impact."

 

Q: Could you tell me more about your data science for social good projects?

"During COVID, I worked with an organization started by someone with a physics PhD. We built a public dashboard for informing how people could allocate COVID relief resources. We used public datasets to determine, at a county-by-county level, whether people needed global health resources—like access to hospitals—or economic relief."

 

 

"I also started helping with a project partnering with Planned Parenthood to study the effect of sex education policies in different states on teen health outcomes. I got busy with astronomy again, but I applied for the data science for social good program here. I got waitlisted, but got into one at CMU, and then it got canceled because of COVID."

 

Q: Tell me about academic trajectory.

"I went to high school in Maryland, but I was actually homeschooled for a while first. I only went to public school for a bit in elementary, then was homeschooled, and finally attended public high school for 11th and 12th grade."

She reflects thoughtfully. "I think homeschooling was quite impactful because we had groups of families who would come together with lots of different kids, so we weren't isolated. The big benefit was that we all got to decide what we were most excited about studying and could pursue things at our own pace."

 

"I took AP Physics at the beginning of high school because I was really interested, and then did an astronomy independent study because I had already taken many of the other classes. For undergrad, I went to Brown, then did a post-bac at NASA Goddard, and grad school in Chicago."

Q: What is one piece of advice that a mentor gave you that really sticks with you?

She considers this for a moment. "This career can be very difficult and stressful, but there are ways to have fun with it, and it's important to prioritize actually enjoying the work you're doing. That will also help you be successful."

"When I finished grad school and was choosing between different postdoc offers, I picked one that many people didn't recommend because it was less prestigious on paper than some of my other options. But I knew I would like the people I was working with and was excited about branching into a new research direction with simulations."

"It made a huge difference," she emphasizes. "I don't know if I would have stayed in the field otherwise. I was able to be more productive with research in a more positive environment."

Q: Do you think about that now as you structure your research group?

"For sure," she nods. "I've been thinking a lot about how to ensure the people I'm mentoring really enjoy what they're doing, while also providing the structure needed to meet goals that might be necessary in a competitive field. It's not always enjoyable to do some of those things. It's hard to strike that balance."

 

Q: What are you most excited about coming down the line in near-field cosmology?

"I'm definitely very excited about LSST," her excitement is palpable. "I was told there would be LSST data by the time I finished my PhD, and it's finally coming!"

 

 

"I'm particularly excited about using stellar streams to get constraints on dark matter with LSST. It's something I've been thinking about a lot, and it's been fun planning for that and bringing together people with different expertise. We need experts in the survey, data analysis, stream discovery, stream modeling, simulations of dark subhalos, and different dark matter models."

"It really requires bringing together a good group of people," she adds. "If we want a whole cosmology-style pipeline of being able to go from data to dark matter constraints, there's still more work to do, but there's exciting stuff we can do as soon as there's data."

Q: When you're not doing astronomy, what brings you joy in your life?

"I like reading," she says. "I listen to a lot of books and podcasts."

"What are you reading right now?" I ask.

"One book that I really liked recently is 'The Other Valley.' It's about a town in a valley where the valley to the east is the same town 20 years in the future, and to the west is 20 years in the past. It's almost a philosophical exploration of what you would do if people you care about die—would you mess with everything you know to try to go back and change something?"

She reflects, "I like books that incorporate philosophical questions that make you reflect on yourself."

"Lately, I've been reading a lot of thrillers—easy to read, silly page-turners that you can just sink into right away."

"I also enjoy cooking," she continues. "During spring break, I decided to cook a new recipe every day, which was fun."

"What was the best thing you cooked?" I ask.

Her face brightens. "I made this broccoli cheddar orzotto—like risotto but with orzo. It had little pieces of broccoli mixed in and roasted broccoli on top. I also made a mushroom miso pasta."

"Cooking is a nice non-screen activity," she says, "though sometimes I get too busy to cook more complex things."

 

Q: How has your experience been as part of the UW community?

"I really like all the people here. I appreciate that people in the department genuinely care about each other and think about ways to support everyone in the community. I don't feel like there's competition between research groups, between students, or anything like that, which is something I cared a lot about."

 

"I also like that there are enough people with overlapping research areas that it's possible to collaborate within the department. Having the Dirac Institute and all the people excited about LSST is great."

"We're a very collaborative department," she emphasizes, "more so than other places I've been. Some places, all the different groups are very siloed without much interaction, but here I love the way we do co-advising—you have a lot of different collaborations that allow you to get involved in other groups' research."

 

Q: Have you found a spot in Seattle that you like to go to rest and recharge?

"I enjoy the walk home along the Burke-Gilman trail," she says. "I started walking home from work more often, which is nice when the weather is good. I love being by the water, and it's nice that you can just walk around the city and be by water everywhere."

"The weather here is pretty good too—this winter was better than I expected compared to Boston or Chicago winters. I definitely prefer Seattle's climate."

 

Q: Looking ahead to your first year's achievements, what are you most proud of?

"Really, the thing that felt like the biggest achievement to me has just been getting settled here, getting my research group going, and having students."

 

"Seeing students who are starting to get real scientific results is really nice. I get more fulfillment from helping people than from any solo achievement."

She looks forward with anticipation. "I'm looking forward to when my students start publishing first-author papers next year. That'll feel like the real success."

 

Q: Any parting words of wisdom for those starting out in astronomy?

"The most important things for me have been making sure that I have a good community and good mentors—a community of peers and mentors who support each other."

"Especially here at UW, it feels like everyone is very willing to support each other and happy to help. That makes all the difference."

 

 

Graduate Student Spotlight: Tom Wagg

Interviewed by Professor Jess Werk

 

On a lovely Tuesday afternoon in March, I sat down with Tom Wagg over steaming cups of vanilla rooibos tea from Tea Republik. The British astrophysicist, currently completing his Ph.D. at UW, has quickly established himself as a rising star in the field of stellar evolution, particularly through his pioneering work on binary star systems and their complex interactions.

 

Tom Wagg: Ph.D. Candidate UW Astronomy

Tom’s research focuses on massive stars—rare cosmic giants that, despite their scarcity, dramatically shape the galaxies they inhabit. As our conversation unfolds, it becomes clear that Wagg's fascination with these celestial behemoths goes beyond academic interest; it's a genuine passion that lights up his entire demeanor.

 

 

Q: What draws you to massive stars specifically?

"Stars are wonderful because they kind of interact with everything. Massive stars in particular are rare in terms of the initial mass function. You're not going to get that many of them, but they're extremely impactful in what they do on galaxies. They give you supernovae, which not only creates huge amounts of feedback that changes the way your galaxies evolve, but also throws things across the galaxy making runaway stars and hyper-velocity stars. Stars turn into black holes and neutron stars, they merge and you get gravitational waves. Stars and their by-products touch everything in the Universe."

 

What fascinates him most is the connective nature of stellar research: "It's this fun thing where you can study a specific object and then apply it to a population, and that can have an effect on an entire galaxy. So, you start on one scale, and it really expands into many scales. I think that's why I like stars."

 

Q: Do you have a favorite type of star?

"Any star that's got a companion," he replies without hesitation. "Binary stars for sure."

This preference makes sense given that most massive stars exist in binary systems. "For a solar-type star, it's like a 50-50 chance. And then for an O-type star, it's like 100%, and of those, 70% will still be interacting, so they'll have some form of accretion, spin up, common envelope or merger. That's hugely affecting their evolution."

 

Changing Perspectives

Wagg's research has significantly shifted his understanding of how binary interactions reshape stellar evolution. "I think I've really started to properly comprehend quite how much the binary interactions can change things," he reflects. "I've been focusing on that and, for example, seeing how if you take on a bunch of mass from a star, even if it only lands on the surface of the star, because of the increased mass and therefore pressure and density and temperature, you're going to change the size of your convective core."

The implications are far-reaching: "You're going to change how the star evolves for the rest of its main sequence. Even though the mass transfer only happened for half a million years, the next 160 million years, it changes everything vastly."

 

Q: Why do you think this wasn't appreciated in previous research?

"It's a mixture of two things," Wagg explains. "It was hard—it’s much easier to evolve a single star. So if you're going to evolve one thing first in your simulations, that's where you're going to start. At the same time, the data weren’t necessarily there to prove that all of these stars are in binaries."

He points to a pivotal moment in the field: "There was some work from Dany Vanbeveren back in the day, but it was really Hugues Sana and collaborators in 2012 who published a paper in Science basically showing that all O-type stars are binaries. They're all interacting. Everyone suddenly was like, 'Oh…we should be caring about this.'"

 

Mentorship Mosaic

Wagg's academic journey has been shaped by a constellation of mentors across different institutions. When I ask about influential advisors, he describes assembling his own network of expertise.

"It's a whole conglomerate of people," he says. "I've had a sort of strange path going through the Ph.D., wanting to try a couple of different things and eventually realizing I do really love massive stars. A lot of what I want to do requires expertise that's not around the University of Washington, so I spent time learning from a lot of people who aren't actually here."

At UW, his advisor, Professor Eric Bellm, has been a consistent source of support. "Eric and I chat once every two weeks to check in," Wagg explains. "Eric has been great at really supporting me and what I want to do. He's there ready to give me the support I need when I want to write a proposal, and he's happy to co-write it with me and provide all the admin things that go with it and teach me what goes into it. At the same time, while maybe not being as enthusiastic about all the science that I'm doing as the stuff that he loves most, he's happy to come to my meetings and give opinions and see what the plots are showing. He gives me the freedom to do what I want while supporting me at every moment that I need."

Beyond UW, one key connection began with a mathematical disagreement. "There's Katie Breivik, who is a professor at CMU. I was doing a paper on LISA detections of gravitational waves, trying to re-derive the equations in one of her papers to calculate signal-to-noise ratios. I was following her paper, and the equations I was working out weren't matching."

Rather than a setback, this became an opportunity: "I emailed her to ask for help. Long story short, what was written in the papers turned out to be wrong, and Katie was lovely and very nice about it. We ended up writing a whole Python package together that repackaged all the equations. Now, everyone uses that package as a safe way of making the calculations. Katie gives such lovely advice and is very supportive of not just the science, but of the person."

He speaks with similar admiration about Mathieu Renzo, a professor at Arizona who “has an amount of literature knowledge in his head of everything massive stars and binaries-related that is truly insane. It's far more effective to ask him a specific question than to read a paper seeking the answer."

 

Finding Balance

When not peering into the cosmos, Wagg finds refuge in Seattle's natural spaces. "In terms of clearing my mind and refreshing, you can often find me wandering around a park somewhere. I live right next to Ravenna Park right now, just taking a wander through there in the mornings is always very relaxing."

reaching 73 mph down an Olympic downhill run—and field hockey, playing on both a men's team and a mixed team in Seattle. "I'll also do climbing and play some pickleball with Andy," he adds.

 

What outside of astronomy sparks joy for you?

"Mostly people," he reflects. "Kind of talking with people about whatever they're getting up to, whether it's family or friends, and just hearing about life in other circles other than astronomy is always fun. I like interacting with people who aren't in academia quite a lot."

 

Community Constellation

As he prepares to move on to a postdoctoral position at the CCA (Center for Computational Astrophysics), Wagg looks back fondly on his time at UW. "What I’m going to miss most is all of my friends and fellow grad students, which is really the same group of people. It's a 100% overlap, because they are wonderful."

 

He particularly values the collaborative environment: "I love having a corridor that I can walk down and I'm like, 'Oh, I have a question about these observations of stars,' and I can go and ask Andy, or 'I have this question about clusters,' and I can go and ask Tobin, or 'I'm thinking about jets,' and I can go and talk to V. There's someone in the grad hallway that knows just the thing I’m looking to learn more about, and we're happy to chat with each other."

 

As our teacups empty and the light begins to fade, Wagg's enthusiasm for his research remains undimmed. His friends from college are flying in for his defense, and his mother is coming from England for his graduation—an event he's particularly excited about "because we don't do it in England, and I didn't have an undergrad one because of COVID."

 

Tom Wagg represents a new generation of astrophysicists: collaborative, interdisciplinary, and deeply engaged with both the technical intricacies and the grand cosmic questions that spur our entire field forward. As he ventures toward his next career chapter, one thing is certain—the stars that have fascinated him since childhood will continue to guide his path forward.

Undergraduate Research Spotlight:

The Department of Astronomy is proud to highlight the below exceptional undergraduate researchers who exemplify the spirit of scientific discovery that defines our community. Their dedication and creativity will be on full display this Spring as many present their work at the prestigious UW Mary Gates Undergraduate Research Symposium. These students represent the bright future of astronomy, and we celebrate their remarkable achievements!

 

Giovanni Gollotti

Senior Giovanni Gollotti, working under the guidance of UW graduate students Andy Tzanidakis and Tobin Wainer, along with Professor James Davenport, has spent the past nine months investigating a fascinating stellar mystery. Their project, "Two Intriguing Transits of HIP 23309 Observed by TESS," focuses on a young, active M0 dwarf star that has displayed unusual asymmetrical dips in its light curve as detected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Through analysis of both TESS photometric data and radial velocity measurements from the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) spectrograph, Giovanni has determined these intriguing dips could be attributed to either dust or a transiting brown dwarf with a circumstellar ring. The work, which earned Giovanni the prestigious Chambliss poster prize at the January AAS meeting, demonstrates exceptional analytical skills and represents a significant contribution to our understanding of stellar phenomena.

 

Dylan Berry

Senior Dylan Berry is pushing the boundaries of extragalactic research under the mentorship of Dr. Gourav Khullar. Their innovative project utilizes cutting-edge photometric and spectroscopic data from the James Webb Space Telescope to perform Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) fitting on spatially resolved strongly lensed galaxies. This sophisticated technique allows Dylan to extract crucial information about distant galaxies that would otherwise remain inaccessible, contributing valuable insights to our understanding of galactic evolution across cosmic time. Dylan will present the findings in a talk at the Mary Gates Undergraduate Research Symposium this May!

 

Elliott Burdett

Junior Elliott Burdett, mentored by Professor Nora Shipp, is already making significant contributions to our understanding of the Milky Way's structure and evolution. Their research leverages extensive survey data to discover and characterize stellar stream candidates surrounding our galaxy—remnants of dwarf galaxies and star clusters that have been gravitationally disrupted by the Milky Way. This work provides crucial insights into our galaxy's formation history and the distribution of dark matter. Elliott will present the findings at the Mary Gates Symposium this May!

 

Ryan Krismer

Recent graduate Ryan Krismer, working with Dr. Ansel Neunzert in the Division of Physical Sciences at UW Bothell is continuing to focus on detector characterization for LIGO, performing sophisticated data analysis on gravitational wave strain spectra to catalog persistent narrow spectral artifacts arising from non-astrophysical sources. By identifying these noise sources, Ryan's research increases the probability of detecting continuous gravitational waves from astrophysical sources such as rapidly rotating non-axisymmetric neutron stars. While not presenting at the Mary Gates Symposium, Ryan recently showcased their research on neutron star equation of state simulations at the Research Symposium for the Physical Sciences.

 

Caitlin Igel

Senior Caitlin Igel, under the guidance of Dr. Aritra Ghosh and Professor Andy Connolly, is tackling fundamental questions about galaxy evolution through a massive data analysis project. This ambitious research involves analyzing approximately three million galaxies from the Hyper Suprime-Cam survey spanning a redshift of 0.3-0.7 to investigate the relationship between bulge-to-total light ratio and environmental density. This comprehensive approach allows Caitlin to explore how galactic structure correlates with cosmic environment, providing insights into the mechanisms driving galaxy evolution. The findings will be presented in a talk at the Mary Gates Research Symposium!

 

Elizabeth Pawelka

Senior Elizabeth Pawelka, mentored by Professors Rory Barnes and Baptiste Journaux, is conducting groundbreaking research at the intersection of astronomy and planetary science. Her project involves simulating hydrosphere structures of TRAPPIST-1h using experimentally driven temperature- and pressure-dependent thermodynamic properties of water. This innovative approach seeks to identify potential liquid water layers on this distant exoplanet—a crucial factor in assessing habitability. She will present her findings in an oral talk at the Mary Gates Undergraduate Research Symposium this spring, and encourages the astronomy community to attend in support!

Jerusalem Sintayehu

Senior Jerusalem Sintayehu, working with Professor Rory Barnes, is investigating the critical role magnetic fields play in atmospheric retention on exoplanets. The research focuses specifically on atmospheric escape dynamics for the fascinating TRAPPIST-1 system, aiming to define the conditions that would allow these planets to maintain atmospheres and thus, the potential for habitability. This work addresses key questions in exoplanet science by combining theoretical models with observational constraints to better understand the factors that influence planetary habitability.

We encourage the entire astronomy community to attend their presentations at the upcoming symposia to celebrate and support these emerging scientists as they share their discoveries. Their accomplishments today foreshadow the important roles they will play in advancing our understanding of the universe tomorrow.

Astronomy Highlights

A New Era in Survey Science: First Full Image with LSSTCam!

 The first image with the full LSSTCam is displayed! On Tuesday 15 April 2025, the first on-sky engineering data taking began, with the i-band filter in the beam. Thanks to the successful ComCam on-sky campaign, the telescope optical alignments were remarkably close to optimal before even looking at the sky. In just a handful of on-sky iterations the system delivered, across the focal plane, a median image quality of about 1.8 arcsec FWHM, before any detailed tuning with the active optics system (AOS). The Data Management system successfully transported and processed the 3-gigapixel images at the US Data Facility within about a minute of acquisition. The distributed Rubin Team was jubilant, taking a few moments to celebrate the first few data acquisitions, and then quickly got back to work. Already on the second night, sub-arcsecond FWHM image quality across most of the focal plane was achieved.

On April 15, 2025, our department was privileged to witness such a moment when the first on-sky engineering data from the Simonyi Telescope's LSSTCam was displayed. This milestone represents not just technological achievement, but the power of collaborative science at its finest. The optical alignments were remarkably close to optimal before even looking at the sky, and in just a handful of on-sky iterations, the system delivered a median image quality of about 1.8 arcsec FWHM across the focal plane. By the second night, sub-arcsecond image quality was achieved across most of the focal plane. The Data Management system efficiently transported and processed the 3-gigapixel images at the US Data Facility within about a minute of acquisition.

None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary contributions from UW and our Pacific Northwest science and technology community. From survey strategy to science pipelines, from image optimization to community support, our Rubin construction team has been integral at every step. The next time you see members of this dedicated team – Eric, Pedro, Neven, Andy C., Krzysztof, Peter F., Melissa, Ari, Nikolina, Erin, Zeljko, Lynne, Bryce, John-Franklin, Jake, Joachim, John, Meredith, Nima, Colin, Brianna, Chris, Ian, David, Peter Y., Audrey, Andy T., Tom W., Connor Y., and many others who have contributed over the years – please congratulate them on this remarkable achievement.

As we look ahead to approximately six months of commissioning to fine-tune the telescope and prepare for the start of LSST, we're planning a series of "First Look" events to celebrate this extraordinary new instrument when the images are released to the public (expected in mid-June or July). Stay tuned for details!

One of these events will be the Rubin Data Sprint. This event will present an exciting opportunity for UW faculty, staff, and students to start working with Rubin data (we have already found cataclysmic variables, AGN, asteroids, and supernovae in the commissioning data).  Whether you are experienced in data analysis or just getting started, there will be people available to help you work with the data and tools for analyzing it. The sprint will provide a collaborative environment where participants can explore datasets, develop analytical skills, and connect with others interested in Rubin science.

How should you prepare for the event? Think about the science case you want to try out with the commissioning data (images that span the u,g,r,i,z,y passbands in 7 separate 0.5 degree radius regions on the sky with each region observed between 50 to 900 times over a 5 week period). Bring that idea and start working with the data!

We will host this event in eScience. The exact date will be announced once the Rubin team have finalized the release date, so please stay tuned!

 

Public Outreach

 

UW Planetarium

Exciting news! The UW Planetarium welcomes Ph.D student Oge Okoronkwo, who will be the incoming UW Planetarium director effective Summer 2025. We are beyond grateful for Ph.D. candidate Andy Tzanidakis’ remarkable legacy of leadership, which has expanded access to and programming for the Planetarium during his years-long tenure.

The UW Planetarium, in collaboration with Digital Arts & Experimental Media (DXArts), has been awarded by the UW STF for new projection hardware and technology renovations starting in Summer 2025. The newly minted UW Planetarium Arts program will host an exhibition of astronomy-inspired art at the end of the quarter. Join us June 2-June 6 in the Planetarium to see artwork from UW affiliates, and feel free to submit your artwork here. 

The UW Planetarium is set to resume the First Friday Shows on May 2nd at 6 PM. These shows are open to the general public in Seattle, free of charge! Link to obtain tickets will be shared on our social media, such as Facebook and Instagram

Astronomy on Tap - 4th Wednesdays of the Month, 7-9PM

Get excited for the first ever AoT roadshow! Our first stop is in Yakima!!

Each FREE Astronomy on Tap Seattle Roadshow event will feature accessible and engaging science presentations on topics ranging from planets to black holes to the beginning of the Universe. Most events have games and prizes to test and reward your new-found knowledge!

 

https://astro.washington.edu/astronomy-tap

We’re so grateful for the amazing community support for AoT Seattle! You can help us get new projectors to support these free shows at our crowdfunding page.

The UW Mobile Planetarium

https://astro.washington.edu/uw-mobile-planetarium

Our student-led mobile planetarium visits schools throughout the Seattle area.

The UW Planetarium hosts visiting groups almost every Friday and will soon restart our popular monthly public evening shows!

https://astro.washington.edu/uw-planetarium

Open House Nights at Jacobsen Observatory

https://astro.washington.edu/jacobsen-observatory

We will have an absolutely incredible line up of public night viewings and talks beginning on May 6^th, with UW’s own Ishaan Ghosh-Coutinho kicking off what is sure to be an incredible Summer series.

Supporting Our UW Astronomy Community

The strength of UW Astronomy lies in our extended network of supporters, alumni, and friends who share our vision of mutual support in astronomical research and education. Our community building events, student support initiatives, and efforts to make astronomy more accessible require sustained commitment - both in energy and resources. As we face unprecedented challenges to scientific institutions, building robust networks of support becomes even more critical.

You can help ensure the continuation of our vital community programs by contributing to our featured funds on this page. Your support enables us to host events that bring our community together, provide opportunities for students from all backgrounds, and maintain the strong departmental culture that makes UW Astronomy a leader in both scientific excellence and institutional change.

Together, we can ensure that the next generation of astronomers has the resources and support they need to unlock the mysteries of our Universe - from mapping the cosmic web to discovering potentially habitable worlds among the stars.

Group Meetings/Regular Events

Additional Community Resources

Food Pantry

The UW Food Pantry provides free food and hygiene products to any UW student, staff, or faculty member in need. They accept donations of shelf-stable items and hygiene products from individuals at their Poplar Hall location during opening hours.

Any Hungry Husky Food Pantry

Know Your Rights

Understanding your rights is essential for all community members. These resources provide comprehensive information about individual rights, campus policies, and legal protections.

UW Public Safety Office - Know Your Rights

ACLU Washington - Know Your Rights

Diversity and Inclusion Resources

Resources to support diversity and inclusion efforts in astronomy and STEM fields:

• TEAM-UP Report - Comprehensive report addressing systemic barriers for underrepresented minorities in physics and astronomy
• Black Lives in Astronomy Resource Guide - Extensive resource guide on Black astronomers ranging from blogs and feature articles to historical information
• Astrobites: How to Support Black Astronomers - Practical guidance for supporting Black astronomers in academic and professional settings
• AAS Task Force Report on Diversity and Inclusion (2018) - Recommendations and findings on improving diversity and inclusion in astronomy

Educational Resources

• UW Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring - Professional development workshops, teaching resources, and pedagogical training opportunities
• Leadership Without Borders Undocu Ally Training – This program provides UW faculty and staff with resources and best practices to build a supportive environment for undocumented students.