Research Areas

Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae, star clusters and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere (such as the cosmic background radiation). It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the formation and development of the universe.

Research in the Astronomy Department is both theoretical and observational in nature. The observational work covers the entire electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to gamma-rays. A wide variety of national observatories  and satellites are utilized to conduct research.

  • Planetary Exploration and Exoplanets
  • Disks and Jets
  • Black Holes and Neutron Stars
  • Galaxies across the Universe
  • Cosmology and the Distant Universe
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Planetary Exploration and Exoplanets

Planetary science is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System and the processes that form them. It studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, aiming to determine their composition, dynamics, formation, interrelations and history.
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Disks and Jets

In young forming stars, disks form from contracting gas clouds as part of the process of star formation and jets emanating from the disk-star interaction play an important role.  Planets form from and within these disks.
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Black Holes and Neutron Stars

Research on black holes and neutron stars is an active area of study in Cornell Astronomy.  A large numerical relativity group is devoted to computing the merger of binary systems containing two black holes, one black hole and one neutron star or two neutron stars.
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Galaxies Across the Universe

The study of galaxies, their formation, evolution and structure.
Cosmology and the Distant Universe Thumb

Cosmology and the Distant Universe

Cosmology is the study of the evolution of the Universe.