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Astronomy
Astronomy | Courses | Physics & Astronomy Faculty

Degrees: Bachelor of Science

Bachelor of Arts

Contact: Tom Arny, Chief Adviser

Office: 517J GRC Towers

Phone: 545-3665 or 545-2194

Chair, University Astronomy Program: Ronald L. Snell. Five College Chair: F. Peter Schloerb. Professors Arny, Dent, Irvine, Kwan, Schneider, Van Blerkom, Weinberg, Young; Associate Professors Skrutskie, Tademaru; Assistant Professors Katz, Lowenthal, Wang; Research Professors Erickson, Stiening; Research Associate Professors Heyer, Predmore; Research Assistant Professor Kanbur.

Other Astronomy faculty in the Five Colleges are: Dennis, Dyar, Edwards, Greenstein, Lovell, Vesperini, White.

The Five College Department of Astronomy is administered jointly with Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith colleges. The elementary courses for nonmajors are taught separately at each campus, but all advanced courses are given on a joint basis for students from the five participating institutions. Five College courses are identified in this catalog by ASTFC.

The Field

Astronomy is the study of the regions beyond the Earth: planets, moons, stars, galaxies, and the universe itself. Astronomers study these objects not only by observing them with telescopes and other instruments, but also with mathematical and computer models. Astronomers therefore make heavy use of physics, mathematics, and computer science.

Equipment used ranges from radio telescopes half a mile across and high speed computers to optical telescopes so big a truck could park on the mirror. The discipline ranges over many areas: radio astronomy; study of stars; their structure and evolution; origin of the universe and other astronomical systems; and the atmospheres and surfaces of planets.

The Major

B.A. Degree in Astronomy

The Bachelor of Arts degree is intended for students who want to explore the science of astronomy in depth, but who do not intend to pursue a professional career in the field. The coursework provides a thorough grounding in the physical sciences and develops the logic of applying physics, mathematics, and other sciences to the solution of astronomical questions. The degree is suitable for pre-med, pre-law, and other students who are interested in developing a rigorous ability to examine complex problems. It would also be appropriate as a nucleus of study for a career in secondary science education, or possibly planetarium or museum work. Astronomy also provides a good introduction to atmospheric physics and meteorology. The astronomy requirements represent only the backbone of the coursework that would be needed to pursue successfully one of these careers; the remainder of the courses should be planned with one's astronomy adviser.

Astronomy B.A. Requirements:

1. Introductory physics sequence: PHYSIC 171, 172, 283, 284 or 151, 152, and 261

2. Calculus sequence: MATH 131, 132, 233

3. Introductory astronomy sequence:

114 Stars and Galaxies

223 Planetary Science

4. Observational astronomy-at least one of:

224 Stellar Astronomy

225 Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy

5. Writing requirement-at least one of:

224 Stellar Astronomy

PHYSIC 381 Writing in Physics

6. Astrophysics-at least one of:

451 Astrophysics I: Stars and Stellar Evolution

452 Astrophysics II: Galaxies

7. Astronomy Elective-at least one more course at the 220 level or higher

8. At least 15 credits (including the above courses) in astronomy or physics at the 200 level or above.

9. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required for astronomy courses.

B.S. Degree in Astronomy

The Bachelor of Science degree, intended for students who plan to follow a professional career track in astronomy or allied fields, normally leads to graduate school after completion of the degree. For students seriously interested in pursuing a research career in astronomy, a much more substantial background in physics and math is needed, which is reflected in these requirements.

Astronomy B.S. Requirements:

1. Introductory physics sequence for science

majors: PHYSIC 171, 172, 283, and 284

2. Two more physics courses at the 400 level or higher

3. Calculus sequence and linear algebra: MATH 131, 132, 233, and 235

4. Math methods: PHYSIC 282 or MATH 431

5. Introductory astronomy:

114 Stars and Galaxies

6. Writing requirement-at least one of:

224 Stellar Astronomy

PHYSIC 381 Writing in Physics

7. Computational physics: PHYSIC 290S

8. Astrophysics sequence:

451 Astrophysics I: Stars and Stellar Evolution

452 Astrophysics II: Galaxies

9. Astronomy electives-at least two more

courses at the 220 level or higher

10. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required for astronomy courses.

Independent study and honors work are encouraged for all majors. Opportunities for theoretical and observational work are available in cosmology, radio astronomy, planetary science, relativistic astrophysics, astronomical instrumentation, stellar astrophysics, and extra-galactic astronomy. Local facilities available to qualified students include several optical and infrared telescopes of sizes 16", 18", and 24", equipped with optical and infrared photometers, CCD cameras, and spectrographs. Another local facility is the 14 m radio telescope at the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory located at Quabbin Reservoir. The 14 m telescope has unique imaging capabilities at millimeter wavelengths that are exploited to study the physics and chemistry of galactic and extragalactic interstellar clouds, circumstellar envelopes, planetary atmospheres, and comets. The University is leading a new project, called the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), which is currently mapping the entire sky at infrared wavelengths for stars and galaxies as much as 50,000 times fainter than the previous survey carried out 25 years ago. The two 50-inch telescopes and cameras for 2MASS are located in Arizona and Chile. The University is also involved in a collaboration with Mexico to build the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT), which when completed around the year 2004, will be the world's largest millimeter wavelength telescope. The LMT is a 50-m diameter telescope of novel design which takes advantage of recent advances in structural design and active control of surfaces. The University is also participating in the Infrared and Optical Telescope Array (IOTA), a collaborative project with Harvard University, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the University of Wyoming, and MIT's Lincoln Laboratories. IOTA's emphasis is on the detection and imaging of faint astronomical sources at high angular resolution in the optical and infrared.

Opportunities for summer research are also available. Original publications have resulted from undergraduate research.

It is desirable that a student have a reading knowledge of French, German, Russian, or Spanish. Students are also urged to broaden their background by taking courses in geology, electronics, or other subjects after consultation with their adviser.

Career Opportunities

Most professional astronomers are employed by universities as researchers and teachers. The federal government also employs astronomers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the national observatories. The aerospace industry (Lockheed, Boeing, Grumman, etc.) and research and development firms also employ some astronomers. Most of these positions require a doctoral degree, but graduates with a bachelor's degree may find openings on the staffs of observatories, planetariums, museums, and in government training programs. Astronomy also offers a good introduction to some areas of atmospheric physics and meteorology.

The Minor

1) ASTRON 113 (or 223) and 114

2) Any three additional courses at the 200-level or above (excluding independent studies).

Astronomy | Courses | Physics & Astronomy Faculty

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