Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA)

‘Teenage galaxies’ are unusually hot, glowing with unexpected elements

JWST unexpectedly reveals nickel and oxygen, which are typically difficult to observe

Astronomer Evenings at Dearborn Observatory

December 1 | Dearborn Observatory

Astronomy on Tap: Carol of the Waves

Begyle Brewing | December 7

Bursts of star formation explain mysterious brightness at cosmic dawn

Intense flashes of light, not mass, resolve the puzzle of impossible brightness

First supernova detected, confirmed, classified and shared by AI

New artificial intelligence tool removes humans from entire search, discovery process

Apply to Northwestern's Astronomy or Physics PhD Program

Research at CIERA

Researchers at CIERA study a wide variety of topics, all with the aim of advancing the field of astrophysics and expanding our understanding of the Universe.

Black Holes & Dead Stars

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Black Holes & Dead Stars

Supermassive, Intermediate & Stellar Mass Black Holes, White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars . . .

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Exoplanets & The Solar System

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Exoplanets & The Solar System

Planet Formation, Planet Dynamics, Protoplanetary Disks . . .

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Galaxies & Cosmology

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Galaxies & Cosmology

Galaxy Formation, Intergalactic Medium, Galaxy Clusters, Early Universe . . .

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Gravitational Waves & Multi-Messenger Astronomy

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Gravitational Waves & Multi-Messenger Astronomy

Black Hole & Neutron Star Mergers, Gravitational Wave Sources & Their Electromagnetic Counterparts . . .

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Life & Death of Stars

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Life & Death of Stars

Interstellar Medium, Star Formation & Evolution, Supernovae & Their Remnants . . .

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Stellar Dynamics & Stellar Populations

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Stellar Dynamics & Stellar Populations

Star Clusters, Galactic Nuclei, Stellar Collisions & Mergers, Interacting Binaries . . .

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Our Faculty

There are many different methods used to study the cosmos. CIERA researchers use observations and data science to make new discoveries, use theory and computation to explain and predict what we see, and build innovative new instruments to see farther and in more detail than ever before.