Welcome to the website of the Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL)

CRAL is a Joint Research Unit (UMR5574) under the supervising institutions: the University Claude Bernard of Lyon 1 (UCBL), the CNRS and the Ecole Nationale Supérieure of Lyon (ENSL). Within UCBL, it is part of the Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers of Lyon (OSUL) and is a member of the Fédération de Recherche André-Marie Ampère (FRAMA).

Its research topics range from protoplanetary and stellar physics to cosmology, with studies combining fundamental physics, numerical simulations, and algorithmic developments for high spatial resolution and high dynamic range observations. The laboratory is also recognized for its dual expertise in instrument development and in associated software development, acquired through, among other projects, the VLT's MUSE instrument.