ICRAR (International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research)

The Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) has recognised Dr Ziteng (Andy) Wang from the Curtin University node of ICRAR with the 2026 Louise Webster Prize at this year’s Annual Scientific Meeting. Dr Ziteng Wang, with the 2026 Louise Webster Prize medal, at the Curtin University node of ICRAR. Credit: ICRAR The Louise Webster Prize is awarded for Outstanding Research by a Scientist Early in their Post-Doctoral Career.

ICRAR is pleased to announce that Jasmine White has been awarded the Renu Sharma Scholarship in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 2026 Renu Sharma Scholarship recipient Jasmine White. Credit: ICRAR Jasmine is originally from Perth, and is completing her undergraduate degree in Physics at UWA before starting her Masters in Astronomy. She previously completed a Summer Studentship at ICRAR’s Curtin node, and an undergraduate research placement with Dr Karen Lee-Waddell, now at AusSRC.

Registration, call for contributions and sponsorship opportunities for ADASS XXXVI are now open at adass2026.icrar.org ICRAR is pleased to be hosting ADASS, the leading international conference for astronomical software, data systems and scientific computing, in collaboration with SKAO, CSIRO and AusSRC. ADASS XXXVI will take place in Perth from November 1-5 2026, on the beautiful campus of The University of Western Australia.

New Curtin University-led research has used a radio telescope that spans the Earth to snap images that measure the immense power of jets from black holes, confirming scientists’ theories of how black holes help shape the structure of the Universe. In a paper published in Nature Astronomy, researchers found the power of the jets in Cygnus X-1 – a system comprised of the first confirmed black hole and a supergiant star – was equivalent to the power output of 10,000 Suns.

Investigating the nature of long-period transients, a newly discovered class of radio transients, can widen our knowledge on how plasmas and magnetic fields interact in extreme environments. An international team observed a long-period transient non stop for 2 days in a study published in Nature Astronomy. Over the past four years, a new class of signals from the Universe has captured astronomers’ attention.

A team of astronomers from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) has released new data from a large galaxy evolution survey exploring the connection between where a galaxy lives and how its properties change with time. The Deep Extragalactic Visible Legacy Survey, or DEVILS for short, has released its initial data and a series of recent publications explaining how a galaxy’s location in the Universe can significantly influence its evolution.

We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of Dr Erica Smyth AC. Dr Erica Smyth was on the ICRAR Board from July 2016 – May 2020 and was a highly valued member of ICRAR. She possessed a powerful, larger-than-life presence, the kind of personality that naturally commanded both respect and a sense of awe – something few people genuinely have. Her commitment to good governance, accountability, and transparency was unwavering.

Astronomers from the International Centre of Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) have created the largest low-frequency radio colour image of the Milky Way ever assembled. This spectacular new image captures the Southern Hemisphere view of our Milky Way galaxy, revealing it across a wide range of radio wavelengths, or ‘colours’ of radio light. It provides astronomers with new ways to explore the birth, evolution, and death of stars in our Galaxy.

Astronomers hunting for evidence of the light from the first stars and galaxies have found that the Universe was warm, rather than cold, before it “lit up”. The Curtin University-led team from the International Centre of Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) was searching for the elusive ‘Epoch of Reionisation’, using the Murchison Widefield Array telescope (MWA) located at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-Astronomy Observatory on Wajarri Yamaji Country in Western Australia.

The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) is set to visit regional Western Australia delivering world-class astronomy outreach and hands- on science experiences to local communities and schools. ICRAR’s Engagement team will visit regional towns in the Mid West, including Morawa, Mullewa, Yalgoo, Cue and Mount Magnet, to deliver engaging science activities for local communities and schools.