From supernovae to black holes

The Centre is part of the AlbaNova High-Energy Astrophysics and Cosmology (HEAC) Centre, a joint venture by Stockholm University and the Royal Institute of Technology. Its researchers investigate the most extreme objects in the universe, such as black holes, supernovae and other violent, high-temperature phenomena. They also seek to understand how galaxies come into existence and what the basic structure of the universe is like.

How stars are born

‘ Only five per cent is ordinary matter. The rest is dark matter, often found in galaxy clusters, and dark energy that we know nothing about today,´ explains Professor Claes Fransson.

Other researchers at the Centre are attempting to understand how galaxies and stars once formed. They examine both young, newly formed galaxies in close to Earth and distant galaxies that took shape long ago.

In their work, the researchers use both terrestrial and space telescopes; an example of the latter is the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). They also use instruments that measure wavelengths entirely different from visible light, such as gamma radiation from black holes, supernovae and dark matter.

Claes Fransson emphasises that the various research fields overlap.

‘ To explain how galaxies form, you need to include dark matter and dark energy. Otherwise, it just doesn´t add up.´

Joint postgraduate studies

The Centre will also recruit visiting researchers.

‘ We´ll invite people for visits of varying lengths. It´s vital not only for us but for the students as well to come into contact with the best researchers in the fields concerned,´ says Claes Fransson.

Story: Peter Tillhammar
Photograph: ORASIS Foto