Skip to ContentSkip to Navigation
About us Latest news News News articles

Millions to search for oldest stars

06 August 2013

Astronomy professor Ger de Bruyn (University of Groningen Kapteyn Institute for astronomy and Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy Astron ) has been awarded EUR 3.35 million to look for the first stars in the Universe. He will undertake his search using the Dutch radiotelescope Lofar .

During the first few hundred million years the universe was mostly filled by an ‘ocean’ of neutral hydrogen. The first stars that came into existence emitted all types of radiation, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation. According to the current theory, this ionizing UV must have burnt huge holes in the neutral hydrogen ocean. Using Lofar, De Bruyn expects to be able to detect these holes – if the theory is correct. Studying the infant years of the Universe and the formation of the first stars was one of the main objectives behind the development of Lofar.

The multi-million research grant allows De Bruyn to build a new research group over the next five years. About EUR 0.9 million of the grant will be used to purchase a powerful computer cluster, which will be able to find the right information in the 1000 terabyte data stream that Lofar produces.

De Bruyn has received an ERC Advanced Grant, awarded by the European Research Council. It is the third time this largest individual European grant has been awarded to a University of Groningen astronomy professor. Previously, Thijs van der Hulst and Rafaella Morganti were awarded EUR 2.5 million each.

Source: press release University of Groningen

Lofar antennas in the central field at Borger.
Lofar antennas in the central field at Borger.
Last modified:11 February 2025 2.26 p.m.
Share this Facebook LinkedIn
View this page in: Nederlands

More news

  • 06 June 2025

    India-Netherlands Hydrogen Valley Fellowship Programme announced

    To coincide with World Environment Day, 5 June 2025, the Indian Department of Science and Technology and the University of Groningen yesterday announced a Hydrogen Valley Fellowship Programme Partnership, allowing talented Indian scholars working on...

  • 24 March 2025

    UG 28th in World's Most International Universities 2025 rankings

    The University of Groningen has been ranked 28th in the World's Most International Universities 2025 by Times Higher Education. With this, the UG leaves behind institutions such as MIT and Harvard. The 28th place marks an increase of five places: in...

  • 05 March 2025

    Women in Science

    The UG celebrates International Women’s Day with a special photo series: Women in Science.