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Lowell's astronomers carry out research in areas spanning much of modern astrophysics, from studies of tiny icy objects in our own solar system to the structure of distant galaxies. Meet our scientists and learn more about our diverse programs here.

The Deep Ecliptic Survey
Larry Wasserman

Larry Wasserman.jpg
Larry Wasserman

Since 1992, when David Jewitt and Jane Luu of the University of Hawaii discovered the first Kuiper Belt Object (KBO), astronomers have been working to explore the vast and intriguing region beyond Neptune known as the Kuiper Belt. Tens of thousands of these icy KBOs await discovery as they slowly orbit the Sun. The Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) is an initial reconnaissance of the Kuiper Belt being conducted at facilities of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory by a multi-institutional team of astronomers. The survey is aimed at gauging the shape and extent of the Belt and learning the spatial and orbital distribution of the KBOs themselves.

Select a program from the list below to read more about it.

Asteroids that go bump in the night

Physical properties of comets

Icy Bodies in the outer solar system

Titan and the Kuiper Belt

Searching for Kuiper Belt Objects

The Transatlantic Exoplanet Survey

Extrasolar planet atmospheres

New solar systems

The rotation of stars

The orbits of binary stars

A stellar census of nearby galaxies

LITTLE THINGS

SOFIA and Kepler

The Sun and Earth's climate

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