Recent astronomical events

The Maria and Eric Muhlmann Award recognizes recent significant observational results made possible by innovative advances in astronomical instrumentation, software, or observational infrastructure. The 2016 recipients of the Muhlmann Award are Prof. Ian McLean (University of California Los Angeles) and Prof. Charles ‘Chuck’ Steidel (California Institute of Technology) for their roles as Co-Principal Investigators on the Multi-Object Spectrometer for Infrared Exploration (MOSFIRE) imager, a revolutionary low-resolution multi-object near-infrared spectrograph on the Keck 10-meter telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawai‘i. MOSFIRE is ideally suited for studying galaxy clusters at moderate redshift, and the initial results of large surveys using this instrument are fundamentally changing our understanding of these galaxy clusters. The increase in the number of objects that can be studied simultaneously, and the significantly improved sensitivity over previous instruments, is transformative for the study of faint, moderate-redshift galaxies. Prof. McLean was responsible for the design and construction of the instrument in his laboratory at UCLA. Prof. Steidel provided much of the scientific motivation and case for MOSFIRE and is using it to lead the Keck Baryonic Structure Survey, which is designed to investigate the interchange of baryons between galaxies and the intergalactic medium in the redshift range 1.8