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— CH. 1 · FIRST LIGHT —

Nature Astronomy

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3 sections

  • Nature Astronomy published its first content online in December 2016, weeks before the inaugural print issue appeared. Volume 1, issue 1 carried the Nature Portfolio imprint when it arrived in January 2017. A founding team of editors shaped the journal from its earliest days. Who made up that team, how editorial leadership evolved over the journal's first years, and where Nature Astronomy now stands in its field are the threads this documentary follows.

  • May Chiao launched Nature Astronomy and served as the journal's first editor-in-chief. She was joined at the founding by three other editors: Paul Woods, Luca Maltagliati, and Marios Karouzos. In April 2024, Woods took over from Chiao as editor-in-chief. Unlike many scientists who take on editorial roles alongside research careers, Woods holds a full-time professional position at the journal. The April 2024 transition gave Woods sole editorial responsibility for a title he had helped build from its founding.

  • According to the Journal Citation Reports, Nature Astronomy held an impact factor of 13.9 in 2024. That placed it fifth among 69 journals in the Astronomy and Astrophysics category. The four journals ranked above it are all Review publications rather than primary research outlets. Among journals publishing new findings, Nature Astronomy holds the top position by Journal Impact Factor. The journal is also abstracted and indexed in three major databases: the Astrophysics Data System, Science Citation Index Expanded, and Scopus. Ranking first among primary research journals, as the 2024 Journal Citation Reports recorded, sets the standard future volumes will be measured against.

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Common questions

When was Nature Astronomy first published?

Nature Astronomy first published content online in December 2016. The inaugural print issue, volume 1 issue 1, appeared in January 2017.

Who founded Nature Astronomy?

Nature Astronomy was founded by four editors: May Chiao, Paul Woods, Luca Maltagliati, and Marios Karouzos. Chiao was the founding editor-in-chief who launched the journal.

Who is the editor-in-chief of Nature Astronomy?

Paul Woods has been editor-in-chief of Nature Astronomy since April 2024. He is a full-time professional editor employed by the journal, and was one of its four founding editors.

What is the impact factor of Nature Astronomy?

Nature Astronomy has a 2024 impact factor of 13.9, according to the Journal Citation Reports. That ranks it fifth out of 69 journals in the Astronomy and Astrophysics category.

How does Nature Astronomy rank among primary research journals in astronomy?

Nature Astronomy is the leading primary research journal in astronomy and astrophysics by Journal Impact Factor. It ranks fifth overall among 69 journals in its category, with the four journals above it all being Review publications rather than primary research outlets.

What databases index Nature Astronomy?

Nature Astronomy is abstracted and indexed in the Astrophysics Data System, Science Citation Index Expanded, and Scopus.

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8 references cited across the entry

  1. 1Announcing five new Nature titles: Nature Astronomy, Nature Biomedical Engineering, Nature Ecology & Evolution, Nature Human Behaviour and Nature Reviews Chemistry - Group - Springer Nature - A new force in research publishing
  2. 2A new astronomy publication: Nature Astronomy British Astronomical Association
  3. 3About the Editors - Nature Astronomy
  4. 4JournalUnder new management2024
  5. 5NASA/ADS Search (Beta Interface)
  6. 6Journal Search - Clarivate AnalyticsClarivate Analytics
  7. 7Nature AstronomyScopus
  8. 8Book2024 Journal Citation ReportsClarivate — 2025