Astronomy

NCI supports some of the world’s most ambitious and successful astronomy research. From international experimental collaborations to ambitious theoretical modelling, Australian astronomy projects have a breadth and depth requiring robust and reliable research infrastructure. Requirements include computational performance for detailed modelling and data processing, virtual environments for data analysis, and large filesystems for the ongoing ingest of daily updates of telescope data.

Uncountable stars of different colours and brightness, with the moon superimposed on the image for scale.

30 Jun 2022

Providing treasure troves of astronomical data

NCI hosts the globally recognised SkyMapper data collection, a unique set of images of the Southern Sky, recently used to discover the fastest growing black hole in the last 9 billion years of cosmic

Swirls of purple, red and yellow showing turbulence from galaxy formation simulations.

Research Highlights

01 Sep 2021

Extreme efficiency astrophysical turbulence simulations

Astronomy

Astronomy researchers are using Gadi’s scale and performance to test the next generation of their star formation simulations. They are simulating the random motions found in magnetised clouds of

The letters A, L, C and G in blue on a translucent background showing computer imagery.

Research Highlights

27 Apr 2021

Generating great Australian science with giant research grants

NCI Australia is proud to support incredible Australian research through the 2021 Australasian Leadership Computing Grants (ALCG). The highly competitive Grants will allow researchers to work on some

Visualisation of turbulence at astronomical scale.

Research Highlights

12 Jan 2021

Study helps unlock secrets of star formation

Astronomy

This was originally published via the ANU newsroom. A new study by an international team of researchers has used computer power to map the so-called "sonic scale", showing the key role turbulence

ALCG letters in blue on transparent computer background.

Research Highlights

23 Apr 2020

Enabling groundbreaking science with the largest compute grants in Australian history

Astronomy

Earth and Environmental Science

Engineering

NCI Australia is proud to support incredible Australian research through the inaugural Australasian Leadership Computing Grants (ALCG).The highly competitive Grant will allow researchers to tackle the

Abstract image showing yellow strands and hazy shapes on a purple background.

Research Highlights

10 Dec 2019

Fluid flow physics facilitates fiendishly fiery formations

Astronomy

Physics

THE CHALLENGE: How do stars form? In clouds of gas millions of kilometres across, over millions of years, how do stars form? We know that gravity and electromagnetism and chemistry, pulling together

The Australian National University's 2.3m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in northwest New South Wales.

Research Highlights

12 Sep 2019

SkyMapper - Stellar Time Turner

Astronomy

Universe’s Wayback machine Astronomers have discovered a star on the other side of the Milky Way that helps provide answers about the very first stars in the Universe. Located 35,000 lights years from

A purple, gold and pink ball of gas on a fuzzy black sky background filled with stars.

Case Studies

24 Jul 2019

Astronomy

NCI supports some of the world’s most ambitious and successful astronomy research. From international experimental collaborations to ambitious theoretical modelling, Australian astronomy projects have

A round telescope dome sits on top of a hill under a brilliant night sky filled with thousands of stars in the Milky Way.

Research Highlights

14 Dec 2017

NCI makes surveying the Southern Skies possible

Astronomy

Astronomy has been a collaborative activity for a long time: ever since Indigenous Australians first started looking up at the sky. Until recently, we were collaborating by observing the sky together

A nebula captured by NASA telescopes, showing a pink centre with expanding purple rings and hazy stars in the background.

Research Highlights

20 Nov 2017

'Missing stardust problem' solved

Astronomy

Dr Amanda Karakas, NCI user and Senior Lecturer in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Monash University, is moving our understanding of stardust and star formation forward thanks to updated

Astronomy

Providing treasure troves of astronomical data

Extreme efficiency astrophysical turbulence simulations

Generating great Australian science with giant research grants

Study helps unlock secrets of star formation

Enabling groundbreaking science with the largest compute grants in Australian history

Fluid flow physics facilitates fiendishly fiery formations

SkyMapper - Stellar Time Turner

Astronomy

NCI makes surveying the Southern Skies possible

'Missing stardust problem' solved

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