Our research
Take a look at the goals of the asterochronometry project, and learn about the background behind the project
Understanding the Milky Way through precision ageing of stars
From Asteroseismology...
The asterochronometry project is an ERC funded research programme aiming to understand the formation and evolution of the Milky Way galaxy by measuring the ages of its stars directly using asteroseismology. Asteroseismology is the astronomical equivalent of geoseismology (used to study the interior structure of the Earth) and determines the interior structure of stars by measuring sound waves that ring through their dense interiors. By producing detailed models of these interior structures, we can use the asteroseismic observations to determine characteristics such as the masses, and therefore ages, of stars.
...to Galactic `Palaeontology'
By measuring the age of many stars in our Galaxy, the Milky Way, we can begin to form a timeline of its evolution from the early universe to the present day. Populations of stars at different ages act like tree rings, telling the story of the history of the Galaxy. For example, by studying how the kinematic properties of stars change with their age, we can build up a detailed picture of its dynamical evolution, giving us insights into how it built up its mass, and how this was distributed in the Galaxy in the past.
