Three grants totalling $132,831 are being awarded to Canadian universities to support projects that use data collected by AstroSat to better understand how stars are formed.
AstroSat is the Indian Space Research Organisation’s first astronomy satellite dedicated to studying hot, high-energy objects in the universe like young stars and black holes. Canada’s contribution of sensitive detectors for the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope instrument on AstroSat gives Canadian scientists observation time for unique research.
The institutions receiving funding are:
University of Victoria: Dr. Patrick Côté is going to study galaxies in the Virgo Cluster to better understand star formation.
University of Calgary: Dr. Denis Leahy will use the data to catalogue individual hot stars and star clusters in M31 as well as investigate the structure of binary star system Hercules X-1.
University of Alberta: Dr. Erik Rosolowsky will map newly forming stars and their disruptive effect on star-forming dust clouds.
More information about the projects
Media representatives interested in talking to a Canadian Space Agency expert or Canadian researchers may contact:
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Expert |
Contact |
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Canadian Space Agency |
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Dr. Jean Dupuis, Space Astronomy Senior Mission Scientist |
Canadian Space Agency Media Relations Office 450-926-4370 |
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University of Victoria |
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Dr. Patrick Côté, Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy |
Media Relations 250-721-7636 |
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University of Calgary |
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Dr. Denis Leahy, Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science |
Erin Guiltenane 403-210-7584 |
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University of Alberta |
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Dr. Erik Rosolowsky, Associate Professor, Department of Physics in the Faculty of Science |
Sarah Vernon, Communications Associate |
