Galactic astronomy

We study the formation and evolution of stars and sub-stellar objects.

Our interests range in scale from the Milky Way disc as a whole, through star clusters and nebulae, down to individual sources such as high-mass stars, red giants, brown dwarfs, planets and compact objects such as black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs. We also study the gas and dust that make up the interstellar medium, the space between the stars.

We lead a number of major surveys in the infrared and sub-millimetre wavebands, using both ground-based telescopes and the James Webb Space Telescope. These surveys provide new important objects to study in greater detail and allow us to deepen our knowledge of the structure of the Milky Way and the neighbouring Andromeda Galaxy. Computer simulations frequently inform our understanding of the relevant astrophysical processes.

The major research topics of our group are the study of how stars form, extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs. Our work also includes the study of rare ultra-metal-poor stars that are vital witnesses to the first period of star formation in the Milky Way. We study mass loss from evolved stars and the subsequent evolution to white dwarfs. We also study entire stellar populations across the Local Group, including the Milky Way, in order to understand star formation, and to trace chemical gradients.

Themes include:

• Star formation: molecular clouds, protostars and protoplanetary discs
• Extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs
• Black holes and neutron stars
• Metal-poor stars and chemodynamical evolution of the Galaxy
• The interstellar medium, white dwarfs and mass loss from red giants
• High-energy processes on the Sun, newborn stars and brown dwarfs