Carina Nebula as captured by the Jamess Webb Space Telescope
NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI
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Department of Astronomy

Astronomy News

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Together the Department of Astronomy and Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science represent one of the world’s leading institutes for space science with over 110 active researchers.  Research emphases include cosmology, solar system exploration, exoplanet science, and fundamental astrophysics. Graduate students, early career researchers and undergraduates, are actively engaged in current NASA missions, NSF consortia, and CCAT-Prime/FYST. The department and center also run an extensive and robust outreach program to the broader community.

Enceladus

Department of Astronomy research

The Department of Astronomy is a leading center of astrophysics and planetary science research.

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Learn about the Carl Sagan Institute

Nearby star-forming cluster, NGC
This stunning new mosaic of images from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope showcases the nearby star-forming cluster, NGC 1333. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Scholz, K. Muzic, A. Langeveld, R. Jayawardhana

Research spotlight

A team led by Adam Langeveld, an Assistant Research Scientist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), and Visiting Scholar in Cornell's Department of Astronomy, announced the discovery of six rogue planet candidates in an unlikely spot. The planets, were spotted during the James Webb Telescope's deepest survey of the young nebula NGC 1333, a star-forming cluster about a thousand light-years away in the Perseus constellation.  Universe Today, 8/29/24

Learn more about astronomy research at Cornell.

2021 graduate student cohort

Undergraduate program

The Astronomy Major at Cornell University is designed to be flexible so that it can be customized to the needs of each student. 

Learn about the undergraduate program

Graduate program

Astronomy offers a wide variety of world-class research opportunities in astronomy, astrophysics and space science, with strong multidisciplinary connections, and a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

Explore the graduate program

Students at an eclipse viewing event

Reaching beyond campus

In the spirit of the renowned Cornell Professor Carl Sagan, the Department of Astronomy reaches beyond campus in numerous ways. The Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility (SPIF) is a repository of spacecraft data, a facilitator of research, and a hub for PreK-12 education and public outreach activities. Ask an Astronomer has been answering questions from the curious since 1997. The Cornell Astronomical Society conducts viewing nights at the Fuertes Observatory and offers educational programing to the public.

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