astronomy

Astronomy

Minor

Course and laboratory work in astronomy explores the physical and observational background of such topics as the history of astronomy, naked eye observations, the planets and moons, the origin of the solar system, stellar classification, stellar evolution, galactic astronomy, and cosmology, with an emphasis on the quantitative nature of modern astronomy.

Melanie Lott '04

Melanie Lott ’04 , Associate Professor, Chair of Physics & Astronomy

Cathy Geho

Cathy Geho , Academic Administrative Assistant

Students on lawn

Highlights

Swasey Observatory

Explore the cosmos

Astronomy students observe celestial objects through telescopes at the Swasey Observatory, and investigate astronomical models in the all-digital Marilyn P. McConnell Planetarium.

Learn more about Astronomy

Spotlights

Students watching the solar eclipse

Denison Magazine

Total eclipse of The Hill

Perfect weather and breathtaking views made this once-in-a-lifetime event live up to the hype.

Winter 2022 cover

Denison Magazine

The ON Switch

Conversations with faculty about what it means to teach — and to trigger those amazing moments of illumination

Illustration of the TXS 0128 Galaxy

Imaging a galaxy far far away

If you're a fan of 'Star Wars,' Prof. Dan Homan can talk to you about a real-life galaxy that has a 'TIE' to the blockbuster movie series.

Meaghan Accarino '21

The astrophysicist and the archeological dig

Meaghan Accarino ‘21, an astrophysicist-in-the-making, spends a summer in the earth instead of the stars.

Prof. Steve Doty, Angela Sommerer ’20, and Tran Anh Nguyen ’20

How We Learn

A Surprising New Model of Star Formation

Students study how stars are formed through data and find surprising support for a new model.

Steve Doty

How We Learn

The Philosophy of Physics

Professor of Physics and Astronomy Steve Doty was awarded a Charles Brickman Award for Excellence in Teaching.

What's Happening

What's Happening

Department of Physics and Astronomy announces this year’s department fellows

Selected students will host drop-in hours throughout the academic year.

Image of the plasma jet in the blazar PKS 1424+240, seen head-on. The jet is threaded by a nearly perfect toroidal magnetic field (visualized in orange), nicknamed "The Eye of Sauron"

University News

Denison astronomer part of a team solving a long-standing mystery

A stunning new image reveals the secret behind unexpectedly bright high-energy gamma-ray and neutrino emissions from a peculiar blazar.

A collage of photos from Honors Day 2025

Departmental Fellows, Awards & Honors, Students

Honors Day 2025

A long-standing tradition in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Honors Day celebrates the hard work and dedication of its students.

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