![Roger Wesson](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/5535?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Overview
My main research interest is core-collapse supernovae, and the dust that forms in the remnants left behind after these colossal stellar explosions. I'm investigating how much dust forms, when it forms, and what ultimately happens to it.
I'm also interested in planetary nebulae, which form when relatively low-mass stars exhaust their nuclear fuel. Unusual chemical signatures in some of these objects indicate that they contain some very cold gas of unclear origin. I am trying to determine the nature of this cold gas, which can often significantly affect standard methods of estimating the abundances of chemical elements in these objects.
Publication
2025
- Bhatt, C. et al., 2025. Detection of CH3+ in the O-rich planetary nebula NGC 6302. The Astrophysical Journal 995 (1) 67. (10.3847/1538-4357/ae1020)
- Clark, N. et al., 2025. JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720): II. PAH emission. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 540 (2), pp.1984-1997. staf826. (10.1093/mnras/staf826)
- DerKacy, J. M. et al., 2025. JWST Observations of SN 2023ixf I: Completing the early multi-wavelength picture with plateau-phase spectroscopy. The Astrophysical Journal
- Medler, K. et al., 2025. JWST observations of SN 2023ixf II: The panchromatic evolution between 250 and 720 days after the explosion. The Astrophysical Journal 993 (2) 191. (10.3847/1538-4357/ae0736)
- Monteiro, H. et al. 2025. The planetary nebula NGC 3132 revisited: high definition 3D photoionization model. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 539 (2), pp.1756-1774. (10.1093/mnras/staf488)
- Sahai, R. et al., 2025. JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720) III. A dusty disk around its Central Star. The Astrophysical Journal 985 (1) 101. (10.3847/1538-4357/adc91c)
2024
- Bouchet, P. et al., 2024. JWST MIRI Imager Observations of Supernova SN 1987A. The Astrophysical Journal 965 (1) 51. (10.3847/1538-4357/ad2770)
- Crowther, P. A. et al., 2024. Oxygen abundance of γ Vel from [O III] 88 μm Herschel/PACS spectroscopy. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 528 (2), pp.2026–2039. (10.1093/mnras/stae145)
- Fransson, C. et al., 2024. Emission lines due to ionizing radiation from a compact object in the remnant of Supernova 1987A. Science 383 (6685), pp.898-903. (10.1126/science.adj5796)
- Matsuura, M. et al. 2024. Deep JWST/NIRCam imaging of Supernova 1987A. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 532 (4), pp.3625-3642. (10.1093/mnras/stae1032)
- Milisavljevic, D. et al., 2024. A JWST survey of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A. The Astrophysical Journal Letters 965 (2) L27. (10.3847/2041-8213/ad324b)
- Wesson, R. et al. 2024. JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720): I. Imaging of the rings, globules, and arcs. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 528 (2), pp.3392-3416. (10.1093/mnras/stad3670)
2023
- Jones, O. C. et al., 2023. Ejecta, rings, and dust in SN 1987A with JWST MIRI/MRS. Astrophysical Journal 958 95. (10.3847/1538-4357/ad0036)
- Larsson, J. et al., 2023. JWST NIRSpec observations of supernova 1987A—from the inner ejecta to the reverse shock. Astrophysical Journal Letters 949 (2) L27. (10.3847/2041-8213/acd555)
- Wesson, R. et al. 2023. Evidence for late-time dust formation in the ejecta of supernova SN 1995N from emission-line asymmetries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 525 (4), pp.4928–4941. (10.1093/mnras/stad2505)
2022
- De Marco, O. et al., 2022. The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST. Nature Astronomy 6 , pp.1421-1432. (10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2)
- Matsuura, M. et al. 2022. Mid-infrared imaging of supernova 1987a. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 517 (3), pp.4327-4336. (10.1093/mnras/stac3036)
2009
- Matsuura, M. et al. 2009. A "firework" of H2 knots in the planetary nebula NGC 7293 (the helix nebula). The Astrophysical Journal 700 (2), pp.1067–1077. (10.1088/0004-637x/700/2/1067)
Articles
- Bhatt, C. et al., 2025. Detection of CH3+ in the O-rich planetary nebula NGC 6302. The Astrophysical Journal 995 (1) 67. (10.3847/1538-4357/ae1020)
- Bouchet, P. et al., 2024. JWST MIRI Imager Observations of Supernova SN 1987A. The Astrophysical Journal 965 (1) 51. (10.3847/1538-4357/ad2770)
- Clark, N. et al., 2025. JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720): II. PAH emission. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 540 (2), pp.1984-1997. staf826. (10.1093/mnras/staf826)
- Crowther, P. A. et al., 2024. Oxygen abundance of γ Vel from [O III] 88 μm Herschel/PACS spectroscopy. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 528 (2), pp.2026–2039. (10.1093/mnras/stae145)
- De Marco, O. et al., 2022. The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST. Nature Astronomy 6 , pp.1421-1432. (10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2)
- DerKacy, J. M. et al., 2025. JWST Observations of SN 2023ixf I: Completing the early multi-wavelength picture with plateau-phase spectroscopy. The Astrophysical Journal
- Fransson, C. et al., 2024. Emission lines due to ionizing radiation from a compact object in the remnant of Supernova 1987A. Science 383 (6685), pp.898-903. (10.1126/science.adj5796)
- Jones, O. C. et al., 2023. Ejecta, rings, and dust in SN 1987A with JWST MIRI/MRS. Astrophysical Journal 958 95. (10.3847/1538-4357/ad0036)
- Larsson, J. et al., 2023. JWST NIRSpec observations of supernova 1987A—from the inner ejecta to the reverse shock. Astrophysical Journal Letters 949 (2) L27. (10.3847/2041-8213/acd555)
- Matsuura, M. et al. 2009. A "firework" of H2 knots in the planetary nebula NGC 7293 (the helix nebula). The Astrophysical Journal 700 (2), pp.1067–1077. (10.1088/0004-637x/700/2/1067)
- Matsuura, M. et al. 2024. Deep JWST/NIRCam imaging of Supernova 1987A. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 532 (4), pp.3625-3642. (10.1093/mnras/stae1032)
- Matsuura, M. et al. 2022. Mid-infrared imaging of supernova 1987a. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 517 (3), pp.4327-4336. (10.1093/mnras/stac3036)
- Medler, K. et al., 2025. JWST observations of SN 2023ixf II: The panchromatic evolution between 250 and 720 days after the explosion. The Astrophysical Journal 993 (2) 191. (10.3847/1538-4357/ae0736)
- Milisavljevic, D. et al., 2024. A JWST survey of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A. The Astrophysical Journal Letters 965 (2) L27. (10.3847/2041-8213/ad324b)
- Monteiro, H. et al. 2025. The planetary nebula NGC 3132 revisited: high definition 3D photoionization model. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 539 (2), pp.1756-1774. (10.1093/mnras/staf488)
- Sahai, R. et al., 2025. JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720) III. A dusty disk around its Central Star. The Astrophysical Journal 985 (1) 101. (10.3847/1538-4357/adc91c)
- Wesson, R. et al. 2023. Evidence for late-time dust formation in the ejecta of supernova SN 1995N from emission-line asymmetries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 525 (4), pp.4928–4941. (10.1093/mnras/stad2505)
- Wesson, R. et al. 2024. JWST observations of the Ring Nebula (NGC 6720): I. Imaging of the rings, globules, and arcs. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 528 (2), pp.3392-3416. (10.1093/mnras/stad3670)
Biography
I got my PhD from University College London, before briefly pursuing a career outside academia in the civil service. After two years at the Home Office, I returned to astronomy with a postdoc back at UCL, before moving to Chile as a European Southern Observatory fellow with observatory duties at Paranal. I returned to the UK in 2016 with another postdoc position at UCL, before moving to Cardiff in 2022.
Contact Details
[email protected]
Queen's Buildings - North Building, Room N3/25, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA
Queen's Buildings - North Building, Room N3/25, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA
Research themes
Specialisms
- Stellar astronomy and planetary systems
- Galactic astronomy
- Astronomical sciences
