Astronomy - Hamilton College Clinton

Astronomy from Hamilton College Clinton is a Campus Bachelor Astronomy degree that prepares you for a Science career. IN A SENSE, ASTRONOMY IS THE ULTIMATE SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVOR ? the attempt to know the unknowable, the entirety of the universe. Astronomers are only beginning to peer into the distant past, at least 10 billion years, to explore the origins of the cosmos. Even the deepest explorations into space have barely taken us beyond our terrestrial doorstep. And while centuries of ever-more-sophisticated observations and measurements from Earth have revealed a great deal, they have also raised mind-boggling new questions. But the study of astronomy also has critical long-term implications for practical science and our own well being, from space flight to environmental and health issues. In addition, a basic knowledge of the universe helps us to live with imagination and insight in our own technological world. At Hamilton, the astronomy program is part of the Physics Department. Students interested in the field can choose to minor in astronomy by taking five designated courses, including an independent study project, within the physics program. The sequence begins with a basic survey of physics, continues with study of the solar system, stars and galaxies, and advances to inquiry into such topics as motion, gravitation, thermodynamics, special relativity and quantum theory. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES The close student-faculty collaboration that is at the heart of Hamilton's physics program means that every astronomy minor completes an extended independent-study research project with close faculty supervision. Hamilton regularly offers research options in such fields as general astronomy, theoretical quantum gravity, general relativity, nuclear physics, laser spectroscopy and nonlinear dynamics. Student projects often lead to papers that are presented at professional conferences and/or published in scholarly journals. RESOURCES Hamilton is home to the solar-heated C.H.F. Peters Astronomical Observatory, which houses an 11 1/4" Maksutov telescope and several smaller telescopes. The observatory has been recently upgraded and now features computer control of the telescope mount and CCD readout for collecting images. In addition, state-of-the-art facilities, advanced technology and small classes at the Science Center mean that Hamilton undergraduates have the opportunity to work closely with instruments available only to graduate students at many schools. View more details on Hamilton College . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Astronomy courses.