Tags: News

What happens when a newly formed star captures material from a nearby cloud? A new study provides a glimpse into how the planet-forming system AB Aurigae is under renovation. Late Infall and Planet Formation Gas, dust, and rocky materials swirl around recently formed stars, creating a circumstellar disk that seeds the formation of planets. Recent observations of some of these disks reveal filamentary structures of material falling into the disk…

By: Alan Flurry University of Georgia faculty member Cassandra Hall has been named a National Geographic Explorer, a National Geographic Society program that recognizes groundbreaking scientists, conservationists, educators, and storytellers. This year, 20 were selected from among 3000 applicants. National Geographic Explorers are exceptional individuals in their fields who receive funding and support from the Society to illuminate and…

There might be more than one way to form a planet” from the New York Times. Prof. Cassandra Hall’s recent discovery about the observational signature of a planet formation mechanism called gravitational instability, published recently in Nature, has been featured in the New York Times.  Read all about it in the article published here There might be more than one way to form a planet” from the New York Times   https://www.nytimes.…

Look to the sky – and ask Bulldog nation for support – and one of Earth's quasi-moons gets a cool new name, thanks to UGA student Clay Chilcutt. In May 2024, the science podcast Radiolab and the International Astronomical Union joined forces to launch a contest that invited listeners to help name one of Earth’s quasi-moons. Close to 3,000 people from more than 90 countries submitted entries.  UGA faculty member Hina Shaikh incorporated…

Though they might not be seen, they can be named – voting is open through Dec. 31. Asteroids orbiting the sun in a similar path to Earth's, quasi-moons escort our planet on its journey a few centuries at a time. The science podcast Radiolab and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) — the organization that assigns official names to quasi-moons and their surface features — announced a contest earlier this year to name the…

The University of Georgia Graduate School is pleased to present the 2024 recipients of the Alumni of Distinction Award. This award recognizes graduates who have achieved meritorious success in their professions, distinguished themselves as mentors and role models in their fields, and made substantive impact at the regional, national, and international levels. These graduate alumni exemplify the University of Georgia mission, “to teach, to serve…

By: Alan Flurry Two theories of planet formation have long-dominated astronomy - the first theory, “core accretion,” posits that planets grow slowly from particles of dust ultimately forming pebbles, then boulders, which coalesce to form planets over tens of millions of years. The second theory – “gravitational instability,” in which planets form quickly from direct collapse of gas and dust, requiring hundreds to thousands of years instead –…

Four departmental awards were given to seven selected graduate students this year for exemplary research and teaching. At the end of each spring semester, the department of Physics and Astronomy hosts a catered reception to celebrate and honor our graduate students. The food and fellowship are followed by a ceremony to present the four departmental graduate awards to their recipients. Each award comes with a certificate, a monetary prize, and an…

Each Spring, the department of Physics and Astronomy hosts a pizza party and award ceremony to honor and celebrate with our undergraduate majors. It's a special event to honor our students with their friends and families. This year's undergraduate awards ceremony was held on April 25, 2024. SPARK Research Award:  Elaine Gammon L.L. Hendren Memorial Scholarship:  Joshua Rothstein Wheatley Award: Giovanni Spinaci Astrophysics Award:…

The designation is the highest undergraduate award of its type for the fields of mathematics, engineering and natural sciences University of Georgia juniors Elaine “Lainey” Gammon and Sara Logsdon are among 438 undergraduates across the nation to be recognized as Barry Goldwater Scholars in 2024, earning the highest undergraduate award of its type for the fields of mathematics, engineering and natural sciences. Gammon is from Reno, Nevada, and…