Steward Observatory’s Marcia Rieke Wins Prestigious Gruber Cosmology Prize
The 2024 Gruber Cosmology Prize recognizes Marcia Rieke of the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory for her pioneering work in infrared astronomy, especially her oversight of instruments allowing astronomers to explore the earliest galaxies in the universe.
Rieke will receive the $500,000 award as well as a gold laureate pin at a ceremony that will take place August 8 at the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union in Cape Town, South Africa. The citation recognizes her “lasting impact on our understanding of the universe,” in particular through her role as Principal Investigator on a key instrument aboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)—an infrared camera that, in the nearly two years since the telescope began scientific operations, has both reinforced and challenged the understanding of the early universe.
Infrared astronomy investigates the part of the electromagnetic spectrum where the wavelengths of light are slightly to substantially longer than in the visible portion—the sliver of the spectrum that our eyes can see. Observing the universe in infrared light allows astronomers to probe the first stars and...
Steward Observatory PhD Alum Jane Rigby Receives the Presidential Medal of Honor
Today, Dr. Jane Rigby (PhD in Astronomy at University of Arizona, 2006) receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden. This is the highest civilian award of the United States, and it honors Rigby’s role in the success of the James Webb Space Telescope mission and her longtime support of diversity and inclusion in science.
Rigby and her team at Goddard Space Flight Center played a major role in the smooth transfer of JWST from commissioning to routine science. Rigby worked on the development of JWST for many years and subsequently led the characterization of JWST's science performance — which now is exceeding expectations and continues to provide pioneering...
Congratulations to the CatSat team for a successful satellite integration at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Next step: orbit!
At dawn on April 24, 2024, a student-led team from the University of Arizona climbed into a vehicle headed 660 miles across state lines to ...
![Star Trails at a [Not-] Random Place in the Sky, M11 as "The North Pole"](https://www.as.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_medium/public/M11_Rotations.jpg?itok=6zsiuNwk)
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