Personal profile
Biography
I am a Professor of Astrophysics at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth, as well as a Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural History and an Honorary Associate Professor at University College London.
In 2013, I received my PhD in Physics and Astronomy from Tel-Aviv University. I then held two postdoctoral research positions at The Johns Hopkins University (2013-2014) and New York University (2014-2016), before moving to the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian as an independent National Science Foundation Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow (2016-2020).
Research Interests
I study supernovae - the explosions of stars - as well as other transient astrophysical phenomena. I use observations (images and spectra) obtained with ground- and space-based observatories and large-scale spectroscopic surveys (such as SDSS and DESI). I am specifically interested in uncovering the nature of the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae, studying these supernovae when they are several years old, and conducting population studies of supernovae in general. I am also working on discovering and characterizing tidal disruption events - flares caused by stars that are ripped apart by super-massive black holes - and the galaxies in which they occur. I am also interested in the multicultural mythology of the Milky Way.
Education/Academic qualification
Ph.D., The Rate and Delay-Time Distribution of Type Ia Supernovae, Tel Aviv University
Award Date: 21 Nov 2013
External positions
Honorary Associate Professor, University College London
1 Sept 2023 → …
Associate, Darwin College
15 May 2020 → …
Visiting Scholar, Institute of Astronomy
1 Oct 2019 → …
NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
1 Oct 2016 → 31 Mar 2020
Assistant Research Scientist, New York University
1 Jun 2014 → 30 Sept 2016
Assistant Research Scientist, Johns Hopkins University
1 Sept 2013 → 31 May 2014
Research Associate, American Museum of Natural History
1 Jul 2013 → …
Keywords
- QB Astronomy
- astrophysics
- supernova
- transients
- time domain
- TDE
- tidal disruption
- astronomy
- physics
- QC Physics
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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The Remarkable Late-time Flux Excess in Hubble Space Telescope Observations of the Type Iax Supernova 2012Z
Schwab, M., Kwok, L. A., Jha, S. W., McCully, C., Graur, O., Foley, R. J., Camacho-Neves, Y., Newman, M. J. B., Larison, C. & Sears, H., 13 Feb 2026, In: The Astrophysical Journal. 998, 2, 10 p., 240.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
AT 2018dyk: tidal disruption event or active galactic nucleus? Follow-up observations of an extreme coronal line emitter with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument
Clark, P., Callow, J., Graur, O., Greenwell, C., Hu, L., Aguilar, J., Ahlen, S., Bianchi, D., Brooks, D., Claybaugh, T., Dawson, K., Macorra, A. D. L., Doel, P., Gontcho, S. G. A., Gutierrez, G., Honscheid, K., Juneau, S., Kehoe, R., Kisner, T. & Kremin, A. & 12 others, , 24 May 2025, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 540, 1, p. 871-906Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile17 Downloads (Pure) -
Effect of Positronium on the γ-Ray Spectra and Energy Deposition in Type Ia Supernovae
Dutta, A., Fullard, A., Kerzendorf, W., O'Brien, J. T., Powers, C., Sim, S. A., Flörs, A. & Graur, O., 3 Sept 2025, In: The Astrophysical Journal. 990, 2, 12 p., 129.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile10 Downloads (Pure) -
JWST and ground-based observations of the type Iax Supernovae SN 2024pxl and SN 2024vjm: evidence for weak deflagration explosions
Kwok, L. A., Singh, M., Jha, S. W., Blondin, S., Dastidar, R., Larison, C., Miller, A. A., Andrews, J. E., Andrews, M., Anupama, G. C., Auchettl, K., Bánhidi, D., Barna, B., Bostroem, K. A., Brink, T. G., Cartier, R., Chen, P., Christy, C. T., Coulter, D. A. & Covarrubias, S. & 71 others, , 13 Aug 2025, In: The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 989, 2, 24 p., L33.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile15 Downloads (Pure) -
The ancient Egyptian cosmological vignette: first visual evidence of the Milky Way and trends in coffin depictions of the sky goddess Nut
Graur, O., 28 Apr 2025, In: Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. 28, 1, p. 97-124Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile434 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Data availability statement for 'The BUFFALO HST Survey'.
Amara, A. (Creator) & Graur, O. (Creator), IOP Publishing, 3 Apr 2020
Dataset
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Mother of Stars: Arabian visions of the Milky Way
Graur, O. (PI), Gupta, J. (CoI) & Alfarsy, R. (Research Leader)
1/02/25 → 30/09/26
Project: Research
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Cosmology, Gravitation and Astrophysics at Portsmouth
Crittenden, R. (PI), Amara, A. (CoI), Assadullahi, H. (CoI), Bacon, D. (CoI), Graur, O. (CoI), Koyama, K. (CoI), Wands, D. (CoI) & Noller, J. (CoI)
1/04/22 → 31/03/25
Project: Research
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External viva examination at University of Edinburgh
Graur, O. (Examiner)
3 Mar 2026Activity: Examination and External Supervision types › Examination
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Invited talk at Night Photo Summit 2026
Graur, O. (Speaker)
13 Feb 2026Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Invited talk at the University of Lancashire
Graur, O. (Speaker)
11 Feb 2026Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Presentation at Cosmic Fireworks: A Cambridge Extragalactic Transients Workshop
Graur, O. (Speaker)
28 Jan 2026Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Invited talk at Sprit of the Senses salon in Phoenix, AZ
Graur, O. (Speaker)
24 Nov 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Prizes
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Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship
Graur, O. (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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Press/Media
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Why the death of this star is very, very strange
13/08/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
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Interview for Paul Ross's Extra Time radio show
29/05/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
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Interview about Milky Way mythology for EarthSky.org
22/05/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research cited
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Interview about ancient Egyptian Milky Way for EarthSky.org
16/05/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
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Comment for New Scientist article on Kepler's supernova remnant
9/05/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment