Star Clusters, Galactic Nuclei, Stellar Collisions & Mergers, Interacting Binaries
Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Research at CIERA
The centers of galaxies are complex environments whose properties are a result of the interactions between the massive black holes that reside there, vast clouds of gas, and dense populations of stars and stellar remnants.
Professor Rasio’s group studies numerical models of dense stellar environments such as nuclear star clusters.
Professor Larson’s group studies the interactions of single stars with massive black holes, a prospective LISA gravitational wave source class known as an EMRI (“extreme mass ratio inspiral”).
Professor Zadeh is an observer who studies stellar populations and physical processes in the Milky Way nucleus using observations across the electromagnetic spectrum.
Professor Fragione investigates the dynamical evolution of dense stellar environments including galactic nuclei. By using a combination of observational data, high precision simulation-based techniques, and analytical equations, he studies how the primordial properties of dense star clusters shape their fate and observable properties across cosmic time.
Opportunities
Deadline: 11:59pm, December 15, 2023
The Northwestern Astronomy PhD is designed to provide students with a broad training in astronomy while enabling them to get started quickly with their graduate research. The Astronomy PhD is a flexible program that allows students to complement their astronomy training with a selection of physics courses or courses from other quantitative disciplines such as
Deadline: 11:59pm, December 15, 2023
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers two different PhD degrees designed to best train students in their chosen discipline. For most branches of physics, students should enroll in the Physics PhD. Students interested in astronomy or astrophysics may apply for either the Physics PhD or the Astronomy PhD. GRE score submission is optional for the
Deadline: 11:59pm, March 22, 2024
Funded by an educational grant awarded by NASA to Northwestern University through the Illinois Space Grant Consortium, Northwestern offers a College Summer Research Program for outstanding undergraduates. The program provides an opportunity for college students to work with a professor in one of several areas of space sciences and astrophysics. It is open to students
News




Gallery

Unveiling the origins of merging black holes in galaxies like our own

Unveiling the origins of merging black holes in galaxies like our own
A 31.5 solar-mass black hole with an 8.38 solar-mass black hole companion viewed in front of its (computer generated) stellar nursery prior to merging. The distant band of the Milky Way can be seen toward the lower-left of the black hole pair. Light is warped nearby the black holes due to their strong gravity. The
Aaron M. Geller / Northwestern CIERA & NUIT-RCS; ESO / S. Brunier
- Data Science & Computing,
- Science,
- Interdisciplinary

Aaron Geller and Alex Gurvich showcase Firefly on AAS Journal Author Series
Aaron Geller and Alex Gurvich showcase Firefly on AAS Journal Author Series
On May 27, 2023, CIERA Research Assistant Professor Aaron Geller and former NSF Graduate Fellow Alex Gurvich were featured on the American Astronomical Society (AAS) Journal Author Series to showcase Firefly, their new browser-based interactive tool for visualizing 3D particle data sets. Geller and Gurvich were interviewed by the AAS’s Frank Timmes. Read the full news story
- Event

Postdoc Anna Childs discusses M-dwarfs on SETI Live Broadcast
Postdoc Anna Childs discusses M-dwarfs on SETI Live Broadcast
New research suggests that a lack of a stable asteroid belt around these common, small, and cool stars may make their exoplanets less habitable for life. This edition of SETI Live features a conversation with lead researcher Anna C. Childs to explore the implications of this research and the future of the search for alien
SETI Institute
- Event

Firefly visualization of the ESA Gaia DR3 dataset
Firefly visualization of the ESA Gaia DR3 dataset
Firefly video visualization of data from the the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Gaia satellite. The full demo enables users to explore all 1.46 billion stars in the Gaia DR3 dataset in real time. Firefly is a browser-based interactive particle visualization app created by CIERA researchers Alex Gurvich and Aaron Geller, in a joint venture with
- Data Science & Computing,
- Interdisciplinary,
- Outreach,
- Education

Firefly visualization of the ESA Gaia DR3 dataset

Firefly visualization of the ESA Gaia DR3 dataset
Still image from a Firefly video visualization of data from the the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Gaia satellite. The full demo enables users to explore all 1.46 billion stars in the Gaia DR3 dataset in real time. Firefly is a browser-based interactive particle visualization app created by CIERA researchers Alex Gurvich and Aaron Geller, in
- Data Science & Computing,
- Interdisciplinary,
- Outreach,
- Education

Rho Oph dark cloud observed with HAWC+

Rho Oph dark cloud observed with HAWC+
Left: NASA Spitzer image showing the portion of the Rho Oph dark cloud observed with HAWC+ instrument….
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Harvard-Smithsonian CfA. SOFIA/ HAWC+/ Northwestern University /F. Pereira Santos
- Science
People
Core Faculty




Vicky Kalogera
Daniel I. Linzer Distinguished University Professor, Director of CIERA

Shane L. Larson
Research Professor, Associate Director of CIERA




External Faculty


Diego Muñoz
Visiting Scholar, Professor at University of Arizone
Postdocs



Graduate Students












