Cosmic breadcrumb trail reveals hidden dark matter
Update (Aug 14, 2026): This research was recently featured by CNN. For billions of years, an ancient star cluster has been slowly unraveling, leaving...
Profile CIERA Astrophysics
Astronomers witness cosmic recycling system in action
An international team of scientists, including Northwestern University astrophysicists, has captured an unprecedented view of a dying star’s remains in the act of being...
CIERA Announces Northwestern’s First 51 Pegasi b Fellowship Recipient
The Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) is proud to announce that William Balmer (they/them) has been named Northwestern University’s first...
CIERA Welcomes six new CIERA Postdoctoral Fellows
We are delighted to announce that six CIERA Postdoctoral Fellows will be joining the CIERA community in Fall 2026. Please join us in...
Spin separates giant planets from ‘failed stars’
Clearest evidence yet that giant planets spin faster than their cosmic lookalikes For decades, astronomers have struggled to differentiate giant planets from brown dwarfs,...
Gravitational-wave detections double with new catalog
EVANSTON, Ill. — An international team of scientists, including Northwestern University astrophysicists, has detected 128 new gravitational-wave candidates — more than doubling the size...
Black holes of ‘all shapes and sizes’ in new gravitational-wave catalog
Largest catalog ever assembled, detailing 35 events, released today An international team of researchers, including Northwestern University astrophysicists, has released the largest-ever catalog of...
CIERA Research Assistant Professor Giacomo Fragione Receives NASA Grant for LISA Preparatory Science Program
Image Credit: NASA CIERA Research Assistant Professor Giacomo Fragione was selected as one of 6 recipients for a highly-competitive NASA grant to design and...
REACH Continues to Grow!
The Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School students provided an interactive, hands-on astronomy research experience for high school students remotely this...
Another Successful CIERA REU Program in the Books!
This summer, CIERA hosted 15 undergraduate students as a part of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Heading into a second year of...
Did a black hole eating a star generate a neutrino? Unlikely, new study shows
In October 2019, a high-energy neutrino slammed into Antarctica. The neutrino, which was remarkably hard to detect, piqued astronomers’ interest: what could generate such...
Professor Wen-fai Fong Receives Prestigious Packard Fellowship
CIERA Professor Wen-fai Fong has received a 2021 Packard Fellowship in Science and Engineering from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The prestigious fellowship includes an unrestricted grant...