News

We are delighted to announce that, thanks to a highly successful collaboration with Professor Jacek Kołodziej and Dr. Natalia Olszowska, supervisors of the URANOS beamline at the Solaris Synchrotron, we have gained direct access to a light beam in the hydrogen Lyman-alpha line range (around 10 eV). This access is the result of a significant modification made to the vacuum and optical path of the URANOS beamline. The light beam, with its high intensity, good collimation, Read more…

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) offered a great show during the Comet Night event on October 19-20, 2024, at the Astronomical Observatory  of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Organized by the HYADES Science Team, the event included stargazing, lectures, and outdoor activities, drawing an unexpectedly large crowd. It became one of the largest popular science events at our observatory in recent years! As evening set in, crowds gathered to view a newly visible comet through telescopes, Read more…

Is life on Mars possible? What does it feel like to sit on the tip of a loaded rocket? What does Jeffrey Hoffman think about private space missions and what does NASA think about it? These and other questions dominated the post-lecture debate at the Breath of Mars and Space Exploration event, held on September 14, 2024 at the Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science at Jagiellonian University. The large audience had the Read more…

Michal Drahus discussed the scientific background of HYADES as an invited speaker at the plenary session during the EAS Annual Meeting in Padova, Italy (1-5 July 2024). A recording of his talk can be found here:

Piotr Guzik received XVIII Artur Rojszczak Award. The award was given on May 18 2024 in Krakow during the Convention of the Club of Scholars of the Foundation for Polish Science (Zjazd Klubu Stypendystów Fundacji na Rzecz Nauki Polskiej). Piotr Guzik was nominated for the award for his popularization of astronomy and efforts aimed at wildlife conservation. He graduated in astronomy from Jagiellonian University (2009) and in applied computer science from the AGH University of Read more…

On 18 May, the Astronomical Observatory in Krakow hosted a family picnic to celebrate the Jagiellonian University Day. The picnic is a traditional event for the University’s employees and their families, with a relaxed, family-friendly character. It accompanies the Jagiellonian University Day, which is celebrated annually on 12 May, this year marking the 660th anniversary of the founding of Poland’s oldest university, the Jagiellonian University, by King Casimir the Great. We could not miss it! Read more…

A group of seven students from the Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science at the Jagiellonian University met with the HYADES Science Team to learn about the project’s research problems and explore the possibilities of participating in the space mission. The students are pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Astronomy or Physics. During the meeting at the JU observatory, Michal Drahus outlined the main objectives of the project. Piotr Guzik and Tomasz Read more…

Three recent ERC grant awardees met with Jagiellonian University Rector Professor Jacek Popiel and Jagiellonian University Vice-Rector for Research Professor Piotr Kuśtrowski to receive congratulations on winning the most recent European Research Council grants for our University. The meeting was also attended by deans of faculties: Dr. Joanna Zalewska-Gałosz (Faculty of Biology), Prof. Ewa Gudowska-Nowak (Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science) and Prof. Włodzimierz Zwonek (Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science). The awardees Read more…

We are pleased to announce that on 17 November, 2023 Piotr Guzik succesfully defended his dissertation, “Interstellar minor bodies in the Solar System”. His Ph.D. degree was awarded on April 5 during the doctoral promotion at Collegium Novum. The ceremony was conducted by Jagiellonian University Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs Professor Armen Edigarian. The awardee received his diploma after hearing a traditional Latin script read out by his supervisor, Dr. Waclaw Waniak.

For millennia, mankind has been asking fundamental questions about the origin of our Earth. One of the scientific problems to be solved is the origin of water on our planet. This very issue was addressed in the inaugural lecture of the 17th edition of the “Closer to Science” series, delivered by Tomasz Kawalec, on October 10 at the Faculty of Physics Astronomy and Applied Computer Science of the Jagiellonian University. In his lecture, he explained Read more…