...where the Universe is our laboratory.
The Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics (WCA) looks to the cosmos to solve the greatest mysteries of the universe. Here, world-class researchers and students come together in an atmosphere of curiosity, creativity and collaboration; exploring our cosmic origin to truly understand the physical processes at work in the Universe. From black holes to cosmology, we aim to understand what lies beyond the Earth. The possibilities for new discovery are limitless.
The Gustav Bakos Observatory houses a twelve-inch telescope, which is located on the roof of the Physics building. The observatory, in operation since 1967, has been used for research on and teaching about visual binary stars.
News
XRISM early science data release
The XRISM early science data release features early science data of WCA's Brian McNamara and co-workers. An x-ray spectrum of the Perseus Cluster core shows off the capabilities of the Resolve instrument onboard XRISM.
WCA Outreach 2023: By the numbers
2023 was a big year for outreach in the WCA!
In the last year the WCA's outreach program has expanded into several new areas. Find out what we've been up to!
XRISM has launched!
The X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), and the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), were sucessfully launched onboard the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 47 (H-IIA F47) at 8:42:11 am on September 7, 2023 (Japan Standard Time, JST)/ 7:42:11 pm on September 6, 2023 (EDT) from the Tanegashima Space Center.
Events
Astroseminar - Lucas Valenzuela - IN PERSON
Lucas Valenzuela is interested in galaxy formation and evolution, and how present-day properties of galaxies can be used as indicators for their formation history. To study these, he works on cosmological hydrodynamical simulations and models of globular clusters and planetary nebulae, which he also uses to compare with observations.
McNamara@65: Understanding Feedback in Galaxies and Clusters
This workshop aims to summarise and expand our knowledge of AGN feedback, and celebrate Brian McNamara's landmark achievements in our field. More than twenty experts in the field will speak about the hot topics and future directions of AGN feedback in clusters and galaxies.
WCA-KPL Public Talk - Unveiling the nature of Dark Energy with DESI (Enrique Paillas)
Dark energy is a strange and enigmatic form of energy, causing our Universe to grow and expand at an increasingly fast rate. While the exact nature of this energy remains a total mystery, new astronomical instruments are shedding light on dark energy like never before. Join us at this month's KPL astronomy talk, when Dr. Enrique Paillas will speak about the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), and what its newest results tell us about the dark Universe.