Astronomy

University of California, Berkeley

Overview

The Department of Astronomy offers undergraduate and graduate instruction in a wide variety of fields, including theoretical and observational astrophysics; infrared, optical, and radio astronomy; galactic structure and dynamics of stellar systems; high-energy astrophysics and cosmology; star and planet formation; and spectroscopy. A considerable amount of research and teaching related to astronomy is done in other units at UC Berkeley, including the Physics Department, Earth and Planetary Science, Space Science Laboratory, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Various professors in the Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, and Engineering departments have an active interest in astronomy and are available for consultation.

Facilities

Many instruments are available to students and staff, including two 10-meter telescopes at the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii; 30-inch, 40-inch, and 120-inch telescopes at Lick Observatory; a 16-element millimeter-wave interferometer in Southern California; the PAPER Array in South Africa; and a 30-inch telescope at Leuschner Observatory (near the campus). Laboratories are available for the development of radio, infrared, and optical instruments for the precise measurement of images and spectra. For further information regarding these resources, see the Facilities page on the department's website.

Organized Research Units

The Radio Astronomy Lab is involved with many instruments and projects.

The Theoretical Astrophysics Center includes faculty, research scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and students working on a wide variety of problems in theoretical astrophysics.

The Center for Integrative Planetary Science is involved in many research projects including the ongoing Extrasolar Planet Search, astrobiology, and research into planetary composition and formation.

Other Research Projects and Opportunities

For further information on other research projects and opportunities, including faculty research publications, see the Research page of the department's website.

Undergraduate Program

Astrophysics: BA, Minor

Graduate Program

Astrophysics: PhD

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Courses

Astronomy

Contact Information

Department of Astronomy

501 Campbell Hall #3411

Phone: (510) 642-5275

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Department Chair

Jessica Lu

501 Campbell Hall

chair@astro.berkeley.edu

Graduate Student Affairs Officer

Yasasha Ridel

501D Campbell Hall

yasasha@berkeley.edu

Department Manager

Maria Kies

501E Campbell Hall

emkies@berkeley.edu

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