Astrophysics

The astrophysics group study the formation of stars and planets, the evolution of single and binary stars, exploiting high-time resolution instrumentation. It also investigates the most energetic events in the Universe, including supernovae, active galaxies, and their impact on galaxy evolution.

PhD opportunities

We're currently advertising a number of PhD opportunities for students starting in September 2022. Visit our PhD opportunities webpage and select 'Astronomy and Astrophysics' under 'Research Group'.

jet of energy shooting from the vicinity of black holes
Credit: G. Pérez Díaz (IAC)
Galaxies, Quasars and Starbursts 
Artist’s impression of the dust disk and a forming planet around TW Hydrae
Artist’s impression of the dust disk and a forming planet around TW Hydrae. Credit: NAOJ
Star and Planet Formation 
The central region of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Credit: NASA, ESA, P Crowther
The central region of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Credit: NASA, ESA, P Crowther
Massive Stars 
Image from NASA. The Crab Nebula, a pulsar wind nebula associated with the 1054 supernova
Supernovae 
Professors Vik Dhillon and Dave Petley with other attendees standing in the GOTO dome on La Palma.
Professors Vik Dhillon and Dave Petley with other attendees standing in the GOTO dome on La Palma. Image courtesy of Antonio González/IAC.
Interacting Binaries and Instrumentation 

Our researchers

Find contact details and publication lists for members of the Astrophysics research group.

Group members

Publications

You can access the Astrophysics group's latest research on our Publications page.

Astrophysics Group publications from myPublications

Job and fellowship opportunities

The Astrophysics group is always keen to host outstanding candidates holding independent research fellowships. 

Find out more

Seminars
Astrophysics MSc

In the news

HiPERCAM mounted on the world's largest telescope, the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC

Revolutionary HiPERCAM captures movies of space

Professor Vik Dhillon is the lead scientist behind HiPERCAM, which can take more than 1,000 images per second to revolutionise scientists' understanding of stars and black holes. It's recently been used to identify a rare ‘black widow’ binary star, with the shortest orbit ever identified.

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Artist’s impression of life on a planet in orbit around a binary star system, visible as two suns in the sky
Artist’s impression of life on a planet in orbit around a binary star system, visible as two suns in the sky. Credit: Mark Garlick

Expanding the habitable zone in binary systems

A model developed by Dr Richard Parker has shown how the habitable zone changes around binary systems. He and student Bethany Wootton discovered that an encounter with a passing third star may squeeze the binary pair together, expanding the habitable zone in the process.

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Spectacular star system wrapped in elegant spiral dust cloud
The newly discovered binary star system. Credit: ESO/Callingham et al.

Star system could create cosmic firework display

A spectacular star system known as Apep, wrapped in an elegant spiral dust cloud, has been discovered by astronomers including Professor Paul Crowther. The system is believed to contain a star that is spinning extremely fast and could produce one of the most powerful explosions in the Universe.

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Sheffield astrophysicists on Deep Sky Videos

M79 - Its special bright star

Professors Paul Crowther and Vik Dhillon have appeared in a number of films for the astrophysics YouTube channel Deep Sky Videos. We've collected their appearances in this playlist.

Watch more DeepSkyVideos