Journal profile · Astronomy & Astrophysics
Astrophysics and Space Science
ISSN 0004-640X · eISSN 1572-946X · Springer Netherlands · NETHERLANDS · Monthly · Founded 1968
Astrophysics and Space Science: CAS Zone 4 · Physics & Astronomy (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.1; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,490; median 98 days to acceptance (107 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 140 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Astrophysics and Space Science is published by Springer Netherlands and is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies, Astronomy and Astrophysical Research and Cosmology and Gravitation Theories, together about 28.5% of its articles. Its main subfields are Astronomy and Astrophysics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Astrophysics and Space Science publishes original contributions and invited reviews covering the entire range of astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysical cosmology, planetary, and space science. This includes both observational and theoretical research and descriptions of ground-based as well as space instrumentation. The journal welcomes data-driven publications such as descriptions of astronomical catalogs, software including simulations, and observational surveys. Papers in mathematical physics, general relativity or plasma physics which do not provide a clear connection to an application in an astrophysical context will not be considered. The journal also publishes topically selected special issues in research fields of particular scientific interest. Conference proceedings will not be considered. All papers published in the journal are subject to thorough and strict peer-reviewing. Astrophysics and Space Science features short publication times after acceptance.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Astronomy & Astrophysics
Editor-in-chief Elias BrinksPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 10%); most named United Kingdom 4, Mainland China 2, Spain 2, Mexico 2, United States 1 (20 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Stellar, planetary, and galactic studiesPhysics and Astronomy12.6%
- Astronomy and Astrophysical ResearchPhysics and Astronomy7.9%
- Cosmology and Gravitation TheoriesPhysics and Astronomy7.9%
- Astrophysics and Star Formation StudiesPhysics and Astronomy7.9%
- Astro and Planetary SciencePhysics and Astronomy7.4%
- Solar and Space Plasma DynamicsPhysics and Astronomy6.8%
- Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, PhenomenaPhysics and Astronomy5.5%
- Black Holes and Theoretical PhysicsPhysics and Astronomy4.4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Physics & Astronomy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Astronomy & Astrophysics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
INSPECCASCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.1LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.2LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.54LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.86LetPub ·
- h-index
- 59LetPub ·
- h-index
- 119OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,846OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.4OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 4.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 15.28%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 137LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 252,500Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 19,554 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 111 | 40 | 25 |
| 2025 | 140 | 45 | 256 |
| 2024 | 126 | 31 | 623 |
| 2023 | 107 | 42 | 475 |
| 2022 | 129 | 58 | 924 |
| 2021 | 123 | 46 | 987 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
98 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 74 days – 136 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 9 days (107 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 112 days
- Sample
- 107 articles with submission and acceptance dates (276 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 2–4 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,490 / EUR 2,790 / GBP 2,490 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Colour charges
- No colour charges
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers3, by deadline
- 2026 Astronomy Prize Awardees CollectionDeadline
- Pulsars and Fast Radio BurstsDeadline
- Multiple Planet SystemsDeadline
What to prepare3 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted2
- commentCommentLength not stated
- letterLetterLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Astrophysics and Space Science, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Reviewer suggestion Model summary
Authors are welcome to suggest suitable reviewers and/or request the exclusion of certain individuals when they submit their manuscripts.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1968
- ISSN
- 0004-640X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1572-946X
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Astrophysics and Space Science
What CAS zone is Astrophysics and Space Science in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Astrophysics and Space Science is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Astronomy & Astrophysics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Physics & Astronomy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Astrophysics and Space Science?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.1; CiteScore 3.2, h-index 119.
How long does peer review take at Astrophysics and Space Science?
Based on the dates recorded on 107 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 98 days (interquartile range 74–136 days); authors report an average review time of 2–4 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Astrophysics and Space Science?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Astrophysics and Space Science based?
Of the 20 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 10%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (4), Mainland China (2) and Spain (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Astrophysics and Space Science?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Astrophysics and Space Science is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists INSPEC, CAS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Astrophysics and Space Science open access, and what is the APC?
Astrophysics and Space Science is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,490.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .