Descubren uno de los exoplanetas potencialmente habitables más ...
El descubrimiento ha sido posible gracias a observaciones del satélite TESS de la NASA y de otras instalaciones como CARMENES, en el ...
Universidad de Southern Queensland
"Gliese 12 b representa uno de los mejores objetivos para estudiar si los planetas del tamaño de la Tierra que orbitan estrellas frías pueden conservar sus atmósferas, un paso crucial para avanzar en nuestra comprensión de la habitabilidad en planetas de toda nuestra galaxia", señala Shishir Dholakia, astrofísico de la <anchor>Universidad de Southern Queensland</anchor> (Australia) e investigador principal de otro equipo que ha publicado sus resultados en paralelo y de manera independiente en la revista Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
UniSQ Centre for Astrophysics | UniSQ
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- Centre for Astrophysics


[Centre for Astrophysics](#mobileMainMenu)

# Centre for Astrophysics

The Centre for Astrophysics conducts astronomical and space research and development that delivers excellence in research outputs, graduate outcomes, funding success, and technological innovation.

Our mission is to serve Australian astronomy and space initiatives through collaborations within academia, industry, and government in areas involving observational astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, space science, computing and technology.

[Our publications](https://research.usq.edu.au/research-institute/80887/centre-for-astrophysics)

[Our staff](/research/institutes-centres/iaess/centre-for-astrophysics/staff)

[iLAuNCH](/research/ilaunch)

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[Information for research students](/research/graduate-research-school)

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[Space and Defence Research Brochure](/-/media/usq/research/research-support/booklets/unisq-space--defence-research-booklet.ashx?rev=f00d436d059643a891398a55c5c86190)

## Themes

[Stellar Astrophysics](#c-accordion-panel-accordion-container-0)

This research advances understanding of the magnetic activity of stars and the Sun over time.

Observations including spectroscopy, spectropolarimetry and photometry are analysed to construct images of stellar active regions and magnetic fields to study stellar dynamos and how activity and winds as “space weather” may impact orbiting planets.

This imaging of stellar activity also enables the detection and characterisation of planets around active stars, to infer the early shared evolution of stars and their planetary systems, including our Solar system.

[Exoplanetary Science](#c-accordion-panel-accordion-container-1)

This research detects exoplanets orbiting stars other than the Sun using precise spectroscopic and photometric observations and has contributed to the discovery of more than 5000 such worlds.

Physical properties including exoplanet mass, orbit and radius are inferred to make comparisons to Solar system planets and model their interiors and atmospheres.

The orbital stability of candidates is calculated to verify exoplanet detection.

[Astronomical Instrumentation](#c-accordion-panel-accordion-container-2)

Observational astronomy advances through ongoing development of innovative optical instrumentation, enabling telescopes to collect the best available information on targets.

In stellar and exoplanet research, a spectrum with precisely defined wavelengths and intensities of the highest possible signal to noise ratio is needed.

Research into spectroscopic instrumentation has supported multiple projects, most notably providing precise radial velocity exoplanet detections from [Mount Kent Observatory’s MINERVA-Australis array.](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/minerva-australis)

[Computational Astrophysics](#c-accordion-panel-accordion-container-3)

Our staff and students make extensive use of UniSQ’s High Performance Computing cluster for astronomical research. A key research activity is dynamical modelling of the orbital stability of candidate exoplanets to help confirm their discovery.

In addition, to trace the evolution of our own planetary system, the dynamical histories and origins of different Solar system asteroid families are modelled, and astrocladistics classification is used to better understand them.

Astronomical observations obtained from [Mount Kent Observatory](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/mount-kent-observatory) and external facilities are processed and analysed using visualisation workstations connected to the cluster.

## Projects

[MINERVA-Australis](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/minerva-australis)

[Shared Skies](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/shared-skies)

[SONG\
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test test test test test test test test test test test test](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/song)

[SMARTnet](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/smartnet)

[Twinkle Space Mission](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/twinkle-space-mission)

[RAPTOR](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/raptor)

[Australian Desert Fireball Network](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/australian-desert-fireball-network)

[GALAH](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/galah)

[BCool](/study/why-unisq/unisq-stories/testimonials/bcool)

[Pause](#promo-feature-story) [Previous](#promo-feature-story) [Next](#promo-feature-story)

[Study Astronomy\
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Astronomy degrees\
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UniSQ's astronomy and space science programs enable students to survey the state of modern astronomy, physics, and more.\
\
\
\
Explore our degrees](/study/degrees/sciences/astronomy "Astronomy degrees") [Exoplanet Detection\
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Astronomers have directly detected a massive exoplanet\
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UniSQ's Senior Lecturer (Astrophysics) Dr Simon Murphy combined different search techniques to discover a new giant planet.\
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Read more about this discovery](/news/2023/04/the-conversation-massive-exoplanet "Astronomers have directly detected a massive exoplanet") [International PhD student\
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Written in the stars: UniSQ student propelled into international PhD \
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Exoplanet honours project opens doors for Emma Miles.\
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Read more about Emma](/news/2023/05/exoplanet-honours-project "Written in the stars: UniSQ student propelled into international PhD ")

## Related news

[iLAuNCH takes Australian space tech globally\
\
10 Sep 2024](/news/2024/09/deloitte-partnership)

[Unearthing the secrets of Jovian planets’ cores and atmospheres\
\
09 Sep 2024](/news/2024/09/jovian-planets)

## Contact the Centre

**Email:** [astronomy@unisq.edu.au](mailto:astronomy@unisq.edu.au )

**Phone:** +61 7 3470 4131

**Director:** [Professor Brad Carter](https://staffprofile.unisq.edu.au/profile/brad-carter)

The University of Southern Queensland acknowledges the First Nations of southern Queensland and their ongoing connection to Country, lands, and waterways. Further, we recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first educators and researchers of Australia. We pay deep respect to Elders past and present.

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