A Clearer View of the Epoch of Reionisation

The Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) is the transition from the ‘dark ages’, billions of years ago, before galaxies existed, to the modern era of rich galaxy populations. It is one of the last unexplored periods of cosmic history. The best method we have for exploring the...

The motions of galaxies can put General Relativity to the test

All galaxies in our Universe (ours included!) move with respect to each other in two ways. Firstly, as has been known for over a century now, the Universe is expanding, moving distant galaxies away from each other. On top of this, galaxies move toward and around...

Identifying habitability of exoplanets through radio astronomy

Characterising the habitability of planets orbiting stars other than our Sun is essential for understanding life outside our own Solar System. A planet is defined to be habitable if it is located within an orbital distance such that the existence of liquid water on...

HI absorption survey casts light on feedback in radio galaxies

Studies are ongoing to determine the effects that Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) feedback has on the host galaxy, whether star-formation is being promoted or suppressed, and what role it plays in galaxy evolution. Insight into this impact of AGN activity on star-forming...

New “Data-driven Astronomy” MOOC developed by CAASTRO members

Science is undergoing a data explosion, and astronomy is leading the way. Modern telescopes produce terabytes of data per observation, and the simulations required to model our observable Universe push supercomputers to their limits. To analyse this data, scientists...