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Professor Dr Heike Rauer receives the 2026 Caroline Herschel Medal at a ceremony at the British Embassy in Berlin.
2026 Caroline Herschel Medal presented to exoplanet scientist in Berlin
The 2026 Caroline Herschel Medal was awarded to Professor Dr Heike Rauer at a ceremony at the British Embassy in Berlin last month. Professor Rauer was recognised for her exceptional service to the astronomical community, her outstanding...
Clockwise, from top left, Dr Olivia Keenan, Professor Peter Gallagher, Professor Jorick Vink, Dr Andy Nowacki, Dr Emma Woodfield and Professor David Alexander were all elected as councillors following the Royal Astronomical Society’s AGM on Friday 8 May. nset, Dr Sheona Urquhart, of The Open University, was re-elected as a Secretary for a five-year term.
Six new trustees elected to RAS Council
This year's Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) election saw six new trustees appointed to Council, including two vice presidents. Dr Olivia Keenan, Professor David Alexander, Dr Emma Woodfield and Professor Peter Gallagher were all elected as...
New RAS President demands impact assessment of proposed astronomy cuts
The new President of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) has urged the Government to carry out a full impact assessment of its proposed budget cuts to astronomy before ploughing ahead with the much-maligned plans. In a joint letter to science...
WATCH: New film explores how Rum became UK’s second Dark Sky Sanctuary
A captivating film revealing the journey of how the Isle of Rum became the first place in Scotland to achieve Dark Sky Sanctuary status is now available to watch. Rum's Dazzling Dark Skies, funded by a grant from the Royal Astronomical Society...
Audience members at the RAS conference on light pollution in 2025.
Artificial light a 'pollutant' to humans, nature and astronomy
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is demanding urgent action to address the damage light pollution is doing to astronomy, human health, biodiversity and the natural environment. It follows an influential conference on the issue hosted by the RAS...
Professor Jim Wild
New President of the Royal Astronomical Society
Professor Jim Wild, a space physicist whose research focuses on the links between the Sun, Earth and other planets, has become the new president of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). He succeeds Professor Mike Lockwood, of the University of...
More than 250 physics teachers sign letter opposing budget cuts
An open letter from UK physics teachers opposing budget cuts proposed by the Government has now received more than 250 signatures. The Royal Astronomical Society has been encouraging teachers to put their names to the letter in response to plans...
(A) A dark matter map in our neighbourhood of the universe. The two large densities are dark matter halos of the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxy; (B) Zoomed-in on the dark matter map, showing a small dark matter clump ~700 million years after the Big Bang; (C-1 and C-2) stars and gas in the simulated ultra-faint dwarf galaxy, formed in the centre of the small dark matter halo in panel B. The two panels show two different radiation levels shortly after the Big Bang. It reveals how the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy
Milky Way's 'little cousins' may hold clues about infant universe
Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies – tiny satellite galaxies orbiting the Milky Way – have long been seen as cosmic fossils. Now, a new study published today in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society uses an unprecedented set of simulations to...
RAS Fellows Professor Gillian Wright CBE (left), Dr Graeme McGhee (right) and Professor Rashid Sunyaev (inset) have been recognised in this year’s European Astronomical Society prizes.
European Astronomical Society awards prizes to trio of RAS Fellows
Three Royal Astronomical Society Fellows, including a former winner of the Caroline Herschel Medal, have been recognised in this year's European Astronomical Society (EAS) prizes. Professor Gillian Wright CBE, of the UK Astronomy Technology Centre in...
Visual impressions of the COLIBRE simulations
See and hear galaxies evolve from the dawn of the universe
The most realistic picture yet of how galaxies formed and then evolved from the beginning of time has been revealed in a suite of new and unique audiovisual simulations. This data, published today in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society...
RAS logo on a purple starry background.
American Astronomical Society 'stands with' RAS amid cuts crisis
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) welcomes the support of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), which has expressed “deep concern” and “alarm” about proposed funding cuts to astronomy and space science in the UK. In a letter to senior UK...
Research funding cuts threaten generation of scientists
Royal Astronomical Society President Professor Mike Lockwood and President-Elect Professor Jim Wild recently had an opinion piece about the proposed cuts to astronomy and space science published on Research Professional News. They argue that the UK...