Topic: supernovae

Three-year research positions allowing early-career astrophysicists to develop an independent programme while collaborating with MPA researchers. Areas include stars and stellar systems, supernovae, gravitational waves, galaxy formation, black holes and cosmology. Fellows have access to computing facilities and support for scientific travel. Gross annual salary is stated as approximately EUR 67,500–77,700 depending on experience, with public-service benefits. Apply by 15 November 2026 with a CV, publication list, research statement and three referees; reference letters are due on the same date

Conny Aerts explains how stellar oscillations measured by space telescopes reveal otherwise inaccessible interiors. Asteroseismology probes physical conditions and chemical composition, allowing more precise estimates of stellar sizes, masses and ages. The lecture connects these measurements to rapidly rotating stars that may end in supernovae and produce gravitational waves. It also examines how stellar seismology supports reconstruction of the Milky Way’s history and the characterisation of exoplanets.