President Martha Pollack with Astronomy faculty

An interdisciplinary approach to astronomical problems

About Us

The department places strong emphasis on the participation of students in ongoing research projects and strives to foster an interdisciplinary approach to solving astronomical problems by maintaining strong ties with other departments. Many undergraduate and graduate alumni of Cornell astronomy have become leaders in the field.

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There are numerous ways to support our department. Click here to learn more about Friends of Astronomy, a group of Cornell Astronomy alumni and friends who work to encourage significant interaction between the department and our friends in the wider world.

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Astronomy News

two black holes approach each other with a dark background of space

Gravitational wave signal tests Einstein’s theory of general relativity

When two black holes merge, the collision rings like a bell, emitting specific tones characterized by two numbers.

A red star and an earth-like planet with purple lines between them (illustration)

Novel way to detect signals from stellar and exoplanetary systems unveiled

Thanks to this innovation, scientists have discovered new radio bursts originating from dwarf stars and possibly from exoplanets.

yellowed musical instrument keyboard keys

Fossiles to fortepianos: The Hill's 'mini-museums' and collections

The next time you visit Ithaca, check out exhibits on Chimes history, astronomical instruments, historical keyboards and so much more

Overlooking a college campus under a yellow sky at dawn

$1.5M grant boosts postdoctoral research across 4 colleges

In 2026, the from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation will begin funding 10 two-year postdoctoral appointments including three in astronomy, chemistry and physics in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Artist's illustration of the Pandora spacecraft with an exoplanet and two stars in the background

Pandora satellite launches for exoplanet observation

Tasked with studying exoplanet systems around small stars, the refrigerator-sized satellite is the first in NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers program – small-scale missions designed to train early-career scientists, including Trevor Foote, Ph.D. ’24, a former member of the research group led by faculty m...