Research at the Centre of Astronomy and Astrophysics currently covers the following areas:

• Theory of the Interstellar and Intergalactic Medium, non-equilibrium ionisation plasmas, Cosmic Rays, supernovae near Earth, Local Bubble, galactic winds, extragalactic infall of matter, cosmic dust, magnetic reconnection, plasma instabilities
• Nonlinear plasma and gas dynamics, turbulence theory and its astrophysical implications, numerical methods and simulation
• Magnetically confined high temperature plasmas, plasma heating, plasma diagnostics
• Habitability of potential habitats on Mars and habitability under the extremely dry conditions of the Atacama Desert in Chile
• Observation and theory of extrasolar planetary systems (DFG SPP1992)