Astronomy skip to main content Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy (PMA) Department of Astronomy People Open People submenu Teaching Faculty Research Faculty Scientific and Technical Staff Administrative Staff Graduate Students Undergraduate Students Postdoctoral Scholars Current Visitors Alumni: Graduates Research Open Research submenu Research Centers Observatories Publications Graduate Theses Academics Open Academics submenu Ay Course Catalog Undergraduate Program Graduate Program Open Graduate Program submenu Life as an Astronomy Graduate Student Applying to Caltech Astronomy Graduate School Caltech Honor Code Teaching Assistants Open Teaching Assistants submenu Suggestions for Office Hours Talks & Events Open Talks & Events submenu Astronomy Colloquium Join Us Contact Us Internal Info Open Internal Info submenu E-Mail Access IT Resources Open IT Resources submenu Cybersecurity PC Purchasing Recommendations How to create a Python virtual environment VPN Access IDL Advice Primer for New Astro User Loaner Equipment VNC FAQ Backup Cahill Conference Rooms Open Cahill Conference Rooms submenu Cahill 312 A/V System Hameetman A/V system Cahill 370 A/V System Cahill 304 A/V System Cahill 204 A/V System Cahill 211 A/V System Cahill 273 A/V System Cahill Machine Shop Cahill Printers Mailing Lists Remote Observing Facilities Committees Astro Library Public Outreach Open Public Outreach submenu Upcoming Events Stargazing Lecture Series Astronomy on Tap Guerilla Astronomy Dark Sky Events Directions Weather Forecast YouTube Channel Past Events Open Past Events submenu Past Stargazing Lectures Past Astronomy on Tap Events Photos from Past Events Press Coverage En Español About Us SearchSearch Menu Close People Open People submenu Research Open Research submenu Academics Open Academics submenu Talks & Events Open Talks & Events submenu Join Us Contact Us Internal Info Open Internal Info submenu Public Outreach Open Public Outreach submenu Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy (PMA) People Back Teaching Faculty Research Faculty Scientific and Technical Staff Administrative Staff Graduate Students Undergraduate Students Postdoctoral Scholars Current Visitors Alumni: Graduates Research Back Research Centers Observatories Publications Graduate Theses Academics Back Ay Course Catalog Undergraduate Program Graduate Program Life as an Astronomy Graduate Student Applying to Caltech Astronomy Graduate School Caltech Honor Code Teaching Assistants Suggestions for Office Hours Talks & Events Back Astronomy Colloquium Internal Info Back E-Mail Access IT Resources Cybersecurity PC Purchasing Recommendations How to create a Python virtual environment VPN Access IDL Advice Primer for New Astro User Loaner Equipment VNC FAQ Backup Cahill Conference Rooms Cahill 312 A/V System Hameetman A/V system Cahill 370 A/V System Cahill 304 A/V System Cahill 204 A/V System Cahill 211 A/V System Cahill 273 A/V System Cahill Machine Shop Cahill Printers Mailing Lists Remote Observing Facilities Committees Astro Library Public Outreach Back Upcoming Events Stargazing Lecture Series Astronomy on Tap Guerilla Astronomy Dark Sky Events Directions Weather Forecast YouTube Channel Past Events Past Stargazing Lectures Past Astronomy on Tap Events Photos from Past Events Press Coverage En Español About Us SearchSearch Astronomy Homepage August 13, 2026 Synchronized Stars Power Cosmic Radio Laser Physicists elucidate mechanism powering long-period radio bursts in binary stars. June 29, 2026 New Cohort of KISS Study Programs Push the Frontiers of Space Exploration From exoplanets to desert landscapes, Caltech and JPL researchers are leading the development of revolutionary space missions of the future. June 15, 2026 A Star's Death Throes Involves a Lot of Kicking New model describes how an aging star's outer shell ejections push it in opposite direction. June 11, 2026 Caltech Readies to Build World's Most Sensitive Radio Telescope Schmidt Sciences has greenlit the construction of the Deep Synoptic Array, a game changer for radio astronomy April 23, 2026 LIGO-India Breaks Ground on New Observatory New gravitational-wave observatory will become the fifth in the world and is poised to advance research in astrophysics, multi-messenger astronomy, fundamental physics, and more. Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Slide 4 Slide 5 Autoplay Carousel Previous Next Video Lightbox Related Pages Close Astronomy People Teaching Faculty Research Faculty Scientific and Technical Staff Administrative Staff Graduate Students Undergraduate Students Postdoctoral Scholars Current Visitors Alumni: Graduates Research Research Centers Observatories Publications Graduate Theses Academics Ay Course Catalog Undergraduate Program Graduate Program Life as an Astronomy Graduate Student Applying to Caltech Astronomy Graduate School Caltech Honor Code Teaching Assistants Suggestions for Office Hours Talks & Events Astronomy Colloquium Join Us Contact Us Internal Info E-Mail Access IT Resources Cybersecurity PC Purchasing Recommendations How to create a Python virtual environment VPN Access IDL Advice Primer for New Astro User Loaner Equipment VNC FAQ Backup Cahill Conference Rooms Cahill 312 A/V System Hameetman A/V system Cahill 370 A/V System Cahill 304 A/V System Cahill 204 A/V System Cahill 211 A/V System Cahill 273 A/V System Cahill Machine Shop Cahill Printers Mailing Lists Remote Observing Facilities Committees Astro Library Public Outreach Upcoming Events Stargazing Lecture Series Astronomy on Tap Guerilla Astronomy Dark Sky Events Directions Weather Forecast YouTube Channel Past Events Past Stargazing Lectures Past Astronomy on Tap Events Photos from Past Events Press Coverage En Español About Us The Astronomy Department at the California Institute of Technology is part of the Division of Physics, Math, and Astronomy. The primary mission of our department is twofold: the performance of cutting-edge research in astronomy and astrophysics, including theory, observation, and experiment, as well as the education of undergraduate and graduate students and training of postdoctoral research associates who will comprise the scientists and leaders of tomorrow. We are located in the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics on the Caltech campus. Research Highlights ZTF: Zwicky Transient Facility at Palomar COMAP: the CO Mapping Array Pathfinder at OVRO SPHEREx Mission Image Lightbox Observatories OVRO Palomar Observatory W. M. Keck Observatory LIGO Image Lightbox Upcoming Events All Events August 21, 2026 8:00 pm Stargazing Lecture Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics Do Electrons Spin? Charles "Chip" Sebens, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Caltech, September 11, 2026 2:00 pm Special TAPIR Seminar Online and In-Person Event Some New Ideas in Stellar Explosions Lucy McNeil, Assistant Professor, Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, September 18, 2026 2:00 pm Special TAPIR Seminar Online and In-Person Event Title to be announced Hannalore Gerling-Dunsmore, Graduate Student, Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences 391 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, September 25, 2026 2:00 pm Special TAPIR Seminar Online and In-Person Event Title to be announced Devin Becker, Graduate Student, Kavli Institute, MIT, October 2, 2026 2:00 pm TAPIR Seminar Online and In-Person Event Title to be announced Zack Gelles, Graduate Student, Department of Physics, Princeton University, October 9, 2026 2:00 pm TAPIR Seminar Online and In-Person Event Title to be announced Abhishek Hegade, Associate Research Scholar, Department of Physics, Princeton, Recent Publications For a complete publications list, see feeds.library.caltech.edu California Institute of Technology 1200 East California Boulevard Pasadena, California 91125 Digital Accessibility | Privacy Notice | Site Content Copyright © 2026 | Log In