The Independent
·Jul 2026
Armagh astronomer secures grant to investigate how first stars lit up universe
A €2 million European Research Council Advanced Grant will fund Professor Jorick Vink’s project at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium to investigate how the first stars ended the universe’s Cosmic Dark Ages. The funding will create several research positions and support work on the origins of massive stars, black holes and chemical elements essential to life. The award coincides with major development plans at the observatory, and Vink emphasises the wider educational and societal benefits of investment in scientific research.