Astronomy
The astronomical research at ASTRON is closely aligned to our facilities LOFAR and WSRT-APERTIF and contributes to the development and definition of the scientific programme and capabilities of the next generation of major international facilities such as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Topics include the detection and characterisation of fast radio bursts, the evolution of gas and star formation in distant and nearby galaxies, the detection of radiation from the epoch of reionisation, testing theories of gravity and detecting gravitational waves with compact objects.
Gravitational lensing
Gravitational lensing is observed when light from a star or galaxy is deflected by the gravity of a massive object, typically a galaxy or cluster of galaxies.
Space Weather
The Earth’s magnetic field shields us from the constant stream of charged particles emitted from the sun known as solar wind.
Clusters
As the Universe evolves, gravity brings together hundreds, sometimes thousands of galaxies together to form galaxy clusters.
Low Frequency Surveys
The LOFAR telescope is used to conduct wide and deep surveys with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity at low radio frequencies.
Cosmology
A prominent research theme at ASTRON involves the study of Cosmic Dawn (CD) and Epoch of Reionization (EoR) with LOFAR.
Compact objects
Pulsars are fast rotating neutron stars that emit narrow beams of electromagnetic radiation at highly regular intervals.
Active Galactic Nuclei
At the center of most galaxies lies a supermassive black hole that swallows material and in the process produces the brightest radiation in the universe across multiple wavelengths.
Radio Transients
The universe is teeming with objects that exhibit drastic variations in brightness over time scale from milliseconds to years.
Nearby galaxies
A core area of research for astronomers at ASTRON is the study of the formation and evolution of nearby galaxies.
Astronomy Publications
Scientific publications of ASTRON astronomers from the current year back to 2008.
Team
Our team of researchers and staff contributes to the vibrant and dynamic research environment at ASTRON. You can find the contact details of our team here.