Category Archives: Physics & Astronomy

Physics & Astronomy

A person stands outdoors at night under a star-filled sky, with hands in jacket pockets and an orange glow on the horizon.

 Physics & Astronomy February 16, 2026

Franklin College’s Cassandra Hall receives a Cottrell Scholar Award

Since coming to UGA in 2020, Cassandra Hall has published a cluster of research papers that have made a big impact in astronomy. The assistant professor of astrophysics has seen her predictions regarding planet formation verified by evidence gathered from 500 light years away and also put forth the compelling idea of a “photosynthetic habitable zone” that could help narrow down the search for life on other planets. (Photo by Jason Thrasher)

 Physics & Astronomy January 27, 2026

Rethinking the cosmos: UGA astronomy research shakes up the heavens

ALMA image of the dust ring (red) and gaseous spirals (blue) of the circumstellar disk AB Aurigae reveal gaseous spiral arms inside a wide dust gap, providing a hint of planet formation.

 Physics & Astronomy September 22, 2025

NSF project to peer into deep space, observe rapid planet formation

Close-up of several small meteorite fragments on a dark surface, with text about UGA analyzing the McDonough meteorite.

 Physics & Astronomy August 15, 2025

Meet the McDonough Meteorite: UGA analyzes crash landed space rock

M-dwarf stars are the most common type of stars in the universe and likely hosts of nearest planets

 Physics & Astronomy June 18, 2025

UGA’s Song receives Webb Telescope support to observe low-mass stars

still photo from Hall's TEDxUGA presentation From Darkness to Discovery: The AI Hunt for Hidden Forming Exoplanets

 Physics & Astronomy March 26, 2025

UGA’s Hall named National Geographic Explorer

Two UGA students, Clayton Chilcutt and Samuel Lashley, were selected as finalists for their proposed names, Cardea and Tarriaksuk. Between now and January 1, the public is encouraged to vote for their favorite.

 Physics & Astronomy December 13, 2024

Two UGA students finalists in Radiolab contest to name one of Earth’s quasi-moons

An image of vast spiral arms in the AB Aurigae circumstellar disk.

 Physics & Astronomy September 06, 2024

New research challenges long-standing paradigm on planet formation

Brightly colored spiral-shaped protoplanetary disk with a glowing center, surrounded by concentric rings, set against a black background.

 Physics & Astronomy April 24, 2023

UGA researchers discover new planet outside solar system

A large, cloudy planet is shown in space with a bright light source behind it and two smaller celestial bodies in the distant background.

 Physics & Astronomy February 07, 2023

Researchers focus AI on finding exoplanets