Astronomy and Astrophysics

Researchers in this group study the Universe from its smallest to its largest dimension. The work is observational, computational, and theoretical and at its heart seeks to understand our origins on a cosmic scale. The faculty members in this group pursue this goal through studies of the solar system, of our own galaxy, of galaxies throughout the Universe, and of the large-scale structure and origin of the Universe as a whole.  

Astronomy and Astrophysics Faculty

  • Ian Crossfield

    Ian Crossfield (Associate Professor)

    Exoplanet formation, composition, detection, and characterization

    Research Group Page
  • Elisabeth Mills

    Elisabeth Mills (Assistant Professor)

    Radio, millimeter, and infrared spectroscopy of galaxy centers

    Research Group Page
  • Dave Besson

    Dave Besson (Professor)

    Experimental High Energy Physics, Astroparticle Physics

    Profile Page
  • Tom Cravens

    Thomas Cravens (Professor)

    Space Physics, Solar System Studies

    Profile Page
  • Allison Kirkpatrick

    Allison Kirkpatrick (Associate Professor)

    Multiwavelength studies of AGN and galaxy evolution

    Research Group Page
  • Gregory Rudnick

    Gregory Rudnick (Professor)

    Observational studies of galaxy evolution and galaxy environment

    Research Group Page
  • Misha Medvedev

    Mikhail Medvedev (Professor)

    Space and Plasma Physics, Astrobiophysics, Cosmology

    Profile Page
  • Hume Feldman

    Hume Feldman

    Cosmology, Large-Scale Structure

    Profile Page

Undergraduate Research

Astronomy majors complete at least one semester of research as part of their degree requirements. Through research, students gain skills applicable to a wide variety of high-paying careers, including coding proficiency, statistical analysis, and working with big data. KU astronomy students attend national and international conferences, win prestigious fellowships, and are admitted to top graduate programs.

KU students at AAS

Astronomy Outreach

We have a wide variety of outreach programs for community members of all ages. Each semester, we host multiple nights where we welcome the public to campus for telescope viewings and planetarium shows. Our inflatable planetarium also travels around Kansas to let everyone experience the wonder of space.

Telescope viewings at our public nights

Observational Astronomy

KU has the only observational astronomy program in Kansas. Our faculty are leaders in their field, and undergraduate and graduate students get unique experience working with data from the best telescope facilities on the ground and in space

Alex at Keck

Latest Astronomy News

Wed, 10/16/2024

KU astronomer on space probe team that advances to next round of $1B NASA mission selection

Elisabeth Mills is a co-investigator on a proposal for a far-infrared mission that over the next year will receive $5 million to flesh out the plans and prototypes for a new class of astrophysics observatories.
Wed, 10/09/2024

KU Physics and Astronomy Professor receives more than $600,000 from NASA for his research

Associate Professor Ian Crossfield (Physics & Astronomy) was awarded more than $600,000 from NASA to support his group's work characterizing planetary systems around other stars.
Mon, 10/07/2024

KU Planetarium Celebrates its 1000th Visitor

The KU Planetarium celebrated its 1000th visitor on September 18th, 2024. Since its start in 2022 the planetarium has educated and entertained visitors from the public, local schools, rural Kansas, and members of the KU community.
Mon, 03/11/2024

KU Department of Physics & Astronomy professor receives prestigious NSF award for black hole research

A prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation will help Department of Physics & Astronomy researcher Elisabeth Mills continue her groundbreaking research on supermassive black holes.
Fri, 02/02/2024

Neptune-like exoplanets can be cloudy or clear — new findings suggest the reason why

A KU researcher has published findings in The Astrophysical Journal Letters showing new atmospheric detail in a set of 15 exoplanets similar to Neptune. While none could support humanity, a better understanding of their behavior might help us to understand why we don’t have a small Neptune, while most solar systems seem to feature a planet of this class.
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