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An artist’s impression of the UK-led CosmoCube spacecraft, which would orbit be tasked with listening out for an “ancient whisper” from the early universe on the far side of the Moon.
Probing the cosmic Dark Ages from the far side of the Moon
Astronomers want to unlock the secrets of the 'Cosmic Dawn' by sending a miniature spacecraft to listen out for an "ancient whisper" on the far side of the Moon. The proposed mission will study the very early universe, right after the Big Bang, when...
Artificial solar eclipses in space could shed light on Sun
Recreating artificial solar eclipses in space could help astronomers decipher the inner workings of our Sun much quicker than if they had to wait for the celestial show on Earth. The plan, part of a UK-led space mission to be unveiled at the Royal...
How airports like Heathrow and Gatwick could help aliens spot Earth
Radar systems used by civilian airports and military operations are inadvertently revealing our existence to potential advanced alien civilisations, new research shows. The study explored how hidden electromagnetic leakage might look to...
If we are located in a region with below-average density such as the green dot, then matter would flow away from us due to stronger gravity from the surrounding denser regions, as shown by the red arrows.
Is Earth inside a huge void? 'Sound of Big Bang' hints so
Earth and our entire Milky Way galaxy may sit inside a mysterious giant hole which makes the cosmos expand faster here than in neighbouring regions of the universe, astronomers say. Their theory is a potential solution to the 'Hubble tension' and...
RAS reopens Burlington House HQ
The Royal Astronomical Society is pleased to welcome back staff, Fellows and members of the public to its offices at Burlington House. A power outage in the surrounding area had temporarily forced the closure of the offices last week. We apologise...
An artist’s impression of dust and tiny grains in a protoplanetary disc surrounding a young star (left) alongside an e-MERLIN map showing the tilted disc structure around the young star DG Tauri (top right) and the HL Tau disc captured by e-MERLIN is shown overlaid on an ALMA image, revealing both the compact emission from the central region of the disc and the larger scale dust rings (bottom right).
The birth of a solar system revealed by planet 'pebbles'
A fascinating glimpse into how a solar system like our own is born has been revealed with the detection of planet-forming 'pebbles' around two young stars. These seeds to make new worlds are thought to gradually clump together over time, in much the...
Dr Sophia Vaughan (left), Dr Sihui Zhong (middle) and Graeme McGhee (right) are the 2024 Thesis Prize winners.
Max Planck astronomer among 2024 Thesis Prize winners
The Royal Astronomical Society is pleased to announce the winners of its prizes for the best PhD theses completed in the UK in 2024. Prizes are awarded annually: the Michael Penston Prize for the best thesis in astronomy and astrophysics, the Keith...
Astronomers pulled from James Webb Space Telescope’s data to analyse a sample of 111 disc galaxies, like the ones shown here.
JWST digs into structural origins of disk galaxies
Astronomers are a step closer to deciphering the origins of disk galaxies like our own Milky Way thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope. Through the eyes of Webb they were able to study 111 single-disk and double-disk galaxies across a large span...
A black and white portrait of Professor Sir Francis Graham Smith. He rests his chin on his hand and smiles at the camera. He is wearing glasses, a shirt, tie and blazer.
Sir Francis Graham-Smith, 1923–2025
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is saddened to learn of the passing of pioneering radio astronomer Sir Francis Graham-Smith, who has died aged 102. Sir Francis was president of the RAS from 1975 to 1977 and served as the 13th Astronomer Royal...
Dr Victoria Fawcett
Quasar scientist wins 2025 Caroline Herschel Lectureship
An astronomer who specialises in dusty quasars and how they influence their host galaxies has been named as the winner of the 2025 Caroline Herschel Prize Lectureship. Dr Victoria Fawcett, a research associate at Newcastle University, was also...
Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell (left) has been appointed a Companion of Honour for services to astronomy and physics and to diversity. Three other RAS Fellows including Dennis Ashton (top right) Professor Lyndsay Fletcher and Professor Raman Prinja (bottom right) were also recognised in the King's Birthday Honours.
Ex-RAS president among four Fellows in King's Birthday Honours
Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a former president of the Royal Astronomical Society, is among four Fellows recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours. She has been appointed a Companion of Honour (CH) – a special distinction limited to a...
The 2022 Royal Astronomical Society Gold Medal winner Professor George Efstathiou (right) and Professor John Richard Bond (left) have jointly received the 2025 Shaw Prize in Astronomy.
RAS Gold Medal winner receives 2025 Shaw Prize in Astronomy
The Royal Astronomical Society is delighted to hear that 2022 Gold Medal winner Professor George Efstathiou has jointly received the 2025 Shaw Prize in Astronomy. Professor Efstathiou, of the University of Cambridge, was recognised alongside...