Simon Smith

Simon's research focusses on the discovery and characterization of the teeniest, tiniest extragalactic bodies known - the dwarf galaxy and star cluster satellites of the Milky Way. His primary research uses the wide-field photometric survey UNIONS to identify new Milky Way companions and employs other datasets, such as Gaia, Pristine, Euclid, and DESI, to further diagnose their properties. Simon is also interested in the internal dynamics of dwarf galaxies and star clusters, where he uses spectroscopic observations to probe their underlying gravitational potentials for the presence of dark matter. His research interests extend more broadly to the role that the Local Group dwarf galaxy group plays in shaping our understanding of dark matter on small scales.

Outside of work, Simon is an avid participant in the recreational astronomy community, delivery outreach lectures and engaging with the enthusiastic public in Victoria. He spends the rest of his free time hiking and running through the wild places on Vancouver Island and has accepted that getting rained on is often an unavoidable part of his day.

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