One half of the course comprises a project, picked from a wide variety of theoretical and observational options and examined by dissertation. As this booklet goes to press, we are in the process of appointing a new chair and three new lecturers in Astronomy. We list below the research interests of current members of the group. Comparison with observations from new telescopes and X-ray satellites will tell us what kind of universe we live in. Galaxy formation - one of the outstanding puzzles of astrophysics.
Theoretical models predict far too many dwarf galaxies.
We are using numerical simulations and theoretical modelling of feedback of energy from supernovae to try to resolve this problem. Interacting binary stars - observation and theoretical modelling. They provide powerful tests of models of stellar evolution. Space Science - theoretical and observational investigation of the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere. We have data from satellite missions and ground-based facilities.