Astrophysics and Cosmology

cosmic microwave background

Researchers in the Physics Department are involved in observations, simulations, and theoretical studies of the structure and evolution of our Universe. We are searching for dark matter, probing the expansion of the Universe, and developing new instruments for the next generation of telescopes. 

For further information, see the Yale Center for Astronomy and AstrophysicsWright Lab, the Yale Department of Astronomy, and the Yale Center for Research Computing.

Experiments and Experimental Facilities

National and International Facilities

Yale astronomers are routinely awarded time on NASA and ESA space-based telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope, Kepler, the X-ray telescopes CHANDRA and RXTE, the infrared Spitzer and Herschel telescopes, and the gamma-ray telescope Fermi.  There is significant scientific synergy between these space-based missions and Yale’s ground-based telescopes. In addition, Yale astronomers frequently utilize the facilities available at the national and international optical and radio observatories, including Kitt Peak, Gemini, ALMA and Arecibo.

Yale astrophysicists are also routinely awarded computing time on the High-Performance Computing (HPC) Facilities provided by DOE, NASA, and NSF. Yale astrophysicists conduct theoretical and computational research by using both national and local HPC resources provided by the Yale Center for Research Computing. There is also significant scientific synergy among physicists, astronomers, computer scientists, data scientists, and applied mathematicians on computation, modeling, and data analyses. 

Faculty

Charles Bailyn's picture Charles Bailyn
A. Bartlett Giamatti Professor of Astronomy and Physics
KT 531
charles.bailyn@yale.edu
203-432-3022
Research Website
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

Observations of stellar mass blackholes, SMARTS consortium

Paolo Coppi's picture Paolo Coppi
Professor of Astronomy
KT 453
paolo.coppi@yale.edu
203-432-3014
Research Website
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

High-Energy Plasma/Radiation Processes, Cosmological VHE Particle Propagation, Blazars and VHE Astronomy, Black Hole/Neutron Star Binaries, Early Star and Structure Formation, Gas-Mediated Black Hole Mergers, QUEST Large Area Driftscan Survey, Yale=Catan Deep X-Ray/Optical/NIR Survey

Marla Geha's picture Marla Geha
Professor of Astronomy and of Physics
STN 215
marla.geha@yale.edu
+1 (203) 432-5796
Research Website
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

Dwarf Galaxies and Near Field Cosmology

Larry Gladney's picture Larry Gladney
Phyllis Wallace Dean of Diversity and Faculty Development in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Professor of Physics
KT 447
larry.gladney@yale.edu
203-432-6814
Experimentalist
Steve Lamoreaux's picture Steve Lamoreaux
Professor of Physics
SPL 61 / WL-EAL 326
steve.lamoreaux@yale.edu
203-432-5276
Research Website
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

Haloscope At Yale Sensitive to Axion CDM (HAYSTAC), Electric dipole moment, Casimir effect

Konrad Lehnert's picture Konrad Lehnert
Professor of Physics, starting July 1, 2024
konrad.lehnert@yale.edu
Experimentalist
Reina Maruyama's picture Reina Maruyama
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
WL 209
reina.maruyama@yale.edu
203-432-3362
Research Website
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE), IceCube Neutrino Obervatory, CUORE Upgrade with Particle IDentification (CUPID), ATLAS, COSINE-100, DM-Ice, Haloscope At Yale Sensitive To Axion CDM (HAYSTAC)

Chiara Mingarelli's picture Chiara Mingarelli
Assistant Professor
KT 445
chiara.mingarelli@yale.edu
Theorist

Current Projects:

  • NANOGrav Collaboration
Daisuke Nagai's picture Daisuke Nagai
Professor of Physics and of Astronomy / Director of Graduate Studies
KT 451
daisuke.nagai@yale.edu
203-909-4266
Research Website
He/him/his
Theorist

Current Projects:

Theoretical & Computational Cosmology: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Galaxy Clusters, Galaxy Formation & Evolution, Cosmological Simulations, Data Science

Priyamvada Natarajan's picture Priyamvada Natarajan
Joseph S. and Sophia S. Fruton Professor of Astronomy and Professor of Physics; Chair Astronomy; Chair Women Faculty Forum
STN 217
priyamvada.natarajan@yale.edu
203-436-4833
Research Website
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

Gravitational Lensing, Clusters of Galaxies as Astrophysical Laboratories, Black Hole Physics, Binary Black Holes, Issues in Galaxy Formation, History & Philosophy of Science

Laura Newburgh's picture Laura Newburgh
Assistant Professor of Physics
WL 210
laura.newburgh@yale.edu
203-432-9168
Research Website
She/her/hers
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

21cm Radio Instrumentation to measure Large Scale Structure and Dark Energy - Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), The Hydrogen Intensity Mapping and Real-time Analysis eXperiment (HIRAX)

Early Universe Cosmology: The Cosmic Microwave Background - Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT), Simons Observatory

Nikhil Padmanabhan's picture Nikhil Padmanabhan
Associate Professor of Physics
KT 449
nikhil.padmanabhan@yale.edu
203-432-9950
Theorist
Meg Urry's picture Meg Urry
Israel Munson Professor of Physics
KT 533
meg.urry@yale.edu
+1 (203) 432-5997
Research Website
She/her/hers
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

Hidden Supermassive Black Holes, AGN host galaxies, Unification of AGN, Supermassive Black Holes in AGN and the “Grand Unification” Hypothesis, Blazars, Kiloparsec-scale jets

Frank van den Bosch's picture Frank van den Bosch
Professor
STN 320
frank.vandenbosch@yale.edu
+1 (203) 432-0196
Research Website
Theorist

Current Projects:

Dynamical Friction, Galaxy Assembly Bias and Galactic Conformity, Precision Cosmology with Galaxies, Statistics of Dark Matter Substructure, Coming of Age in the Dark Sector, Constraining Halo Mass with Satellite Kinematics

Pieter van Dokkum's picture Pieter van Dokkum
Sol Goldman Family Professor of Astronomy and Professor of Physics
KT 537
pieter.vandokkum@yale.edu
+1 (203) 432-3019
Research Website
Experimentalist

Current Projects:

3D-HST, COSMOS-DASH, Dragonfly