PhD Student · Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen
Julie Kiel Holm
I study the faint signatures of globular clusters being slowly torn apart by galaxies, trying to understand the dark matter distributed through our universe.
As a part of the Dark Matter group, led by Dr Sarah Pearson, I work on stellar streams, particularly those of globular cluster origin. They are the fascinating result of gravitational interplay between large groups of stars and the galaxy they orbit, and we can (potentially) use them to help untangle the nature of dark matter.
I'm also passionately sharing my excitement and knowledge with whoever wants to listen. If you want to know more about either of those endeavours, look around this page or send me an email!
Updates
News
- (2026) My first paper has been published in Nature! See "Publications" for more details.
Research
Publications
-
Evidence for the First Globular Cluster Stream beyond the Milky WayStellar streams from globular clusters are faint, and we have only found them in the Milky Way - until now. In this work, we present evidence for the first globular cluster stream in another galaxy, and through generative modelling we use it to constrain the properties of the dark matter halo of the ultra-diffuse host galaxy.Press and communication
- U. Copenhagen press release (Danish, English)
- Northwestern U. press release (English)
- Videnskab.dk article (Danish)
- Politiken article (Danish)
Outreach & Communication
Dissemination
Writing
Astrobites
About once a month, I write a summary of a recent astrophysics paper for Astrobites. These are my most recent ones:
- Do Exoplanets Have Auroras?
- High-energy particles make radio signals in ice
- There's a Great Wave rolling through our Galaxy
See the full list here.
Public Outreach
Talks for General Audiences
Examples of presentations I've given to people who aren't astrophysicists:
- “Astro: Stjernestrømme” — International Day of Girls and Women in Science, Niels Bohr Institute, February 2026
- “Fremmede stjerner i Mælkevejen” — Marathonforedrag, Brorfelde Astronomiske Vennekreds, December 2025
Conferences & Workshops
Scientific Talks
A selection of talks I've given at conferences and workshops:
- Annual Danish Astronomy Meeting, Odense — May 2026 see photo above
- Euclid: Milky Way and Resolved Stellar Populations Workshop, Leiden — December 2025
- International Astronomical Union (IAU) Symposium 403, Córdoba — October 2025
Courses
Teaching
Courses I've TA'ed and/or lectured in:
- Mechanics and Relativity, 2019-2022
- Mathematics for Physicists 1 & 2, 2020
- Electrodynamics 1, 2023
- Astrophysics and Cosmology (Astro1), 2024-2026
Get in Touch
Contact
The best way to reach me is by email. I'm always happy to talk about my research or stellar streams in general.
julie.holm@nbi.ku.dk