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.

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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.

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Astronomy and Astrophysics graduate program

Exploring the Universe at Penn State

More than 60 faculty researchers and educators and a dozen faculty members from other departments and colleges at Penn State pursue greater understanding of our universe. Areas of investigation include exoplanets, observational and theoretical cosmology, gravitational radiation, space and ground-based instrumentation, supermassive black holes, brown dwarfs, astrostatistics, and high energy astrophysics.

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 Department

Our faculty is one of the largest and most productive astronomy and astrophysics programs in the country engaging in front-line research programs and preparing the next generation of scientists for the future.