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The Eberly College of Science

Department of Astronomy
and Astrophysics

We promote science education, training, and research to expand our knowledge of the universe through undergraduate and graduate education, research, and public outreach.

group of astronomy undergraduate students
Astronomy and Astrophysics undergraduate program

Develop a comprehensive view of the universe and its physical laws and learn how to explain the universe to the world.

Astro Graduate Student with Professor pointing at an astronomy image on a computer

Take a leading role in one of the most productive astronomy and astrophysics research programs in the country.

Astronomy and Astrophysics graduate program
M42 Galaxy
alex wolszczan standing in front of radio telescope
Covering the most active areas:

Penn State is one of the world's leading institutions in exoplanet research. Alexander Wolszscan, discoverer of the first exoplanets, is one of many faculty in this vibrant field.

Researcher standing near a hood with a box containing an image sensor inside

For decades Penn State has been at the cutting edge of new approaches to investigating the universe, designing and constructing innovative instrumentation for both space missions and ground-based telescopes.

At the forefront of new astronomical instrumentation:

Astronomy and Astrophysics Spotlight

The second- and fourth-most distant galaxies ever observed have been discovered in a region of space known as Pandora’s Cluster.

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Second-most distant galaxy discovered using James Webb Space Telescope

The Eberly College of Science held its annual Halloween-themed Staff Appreciation Ceremony on October 30, 2023.

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2023 Staff Appreciation Ceremony

New analysis of data from NASA's Kepler space telescope reveals that many planets follow nearly circular orbital paths.

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Many planets beyond our solar system follow nearly circular orbital paths
Images of galaxies m33 and m101 in this composite image.

Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Penn State University
525 Davey Laboratory
University Park, PA 16802
814.865.0418

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