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Astronomy-Physics

Supernova 2013df in NGC 4414

The spiral galaxy to the left of center in this picture is NGC 4414.  It is about 62 million lightyears away from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices.  On June 8th astronomers in Italy noted a new bright star in the galaxy just to the left of the center in this image.  A spectrum obtained by the Keck II telescope in Hawaii two days later confirmed this was a star many times the mass of the Sun that had exploded as a supernova.

Perseid Meteor Star Party August 11/12

The University of Illinois Springfield Astronomy-Physics Program is co-hosting a viewing of the Perseid Meteor shower before dawn on Monday, August 12.  

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Nearby Galaxy M33

This is a composite image of the galaxy M33 in the constellation Triangulum.  It is a collection of 40 billion stars about 3 million light years away.  M33 is one of three large galaxies in our local group (including also the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milkway Galaxy).

Summer Star Parties

Summer Star Parties Events

This is the page for Star Parties held off campus in the spring and summer with community partners. Lately, we have been holding these events on the Cawley Meadow at Lincoln Memorial Garden with the Sangamon Astronomical Society as co-hosts.

The dates and locations for the Summer Star parties in 2025 are:

Research

Research Opportunities for Students

Students who have an interest in astronomy are encouraged to take advanced course work in the math and the physical sciences and talk to Dr. John Martin about engaging in a research project. Generally students must demonstrate an academic strength in the physical sciences and a strong interest and commitment in order to participate in a research project at the Barber Research Observatory.

Star Parties

Star Parties

Star Parties are the flagship public outreach events of the UIS Observatory, serving the public affairs mission of the University of Illinois Springfield.

From here you can branch off to the three different types of Star Parties we host:

Astronomy-Physics Thematic Activity

The Astronomy-Physics option provides courses and laboratory work in astronomy and physics, featuring an astronomical observatory with one eight-inch and one 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, an eight-inch Newtonian telescope, an eight-inch fixed focal point telescope for persons with disabilities, two spectrographs, a hydrogen-alpha filter, an objective prism, and two charge-coupled devices (CCD). A 20-inch telescope and a 16-inch telescope are installed under dark skies at a site remote from the campus.

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