Astronomy (Program Major)

Astronomy and astrophysics examine the universe, galaxies and stars as well as phenomena such as the birth of stars, how explosions of stars create fast moving cosmic ray particles and pulsars, and how the rotation of a galaxy reveals the presence of dark matter. A planetarium and two astronomical observatories enhance this program.  

Beyond first year the classroom sizes are intimate, allowing superb training of students in a collegial atmosphere. This hands-on observing course occurs earlier in the program than is typical and telescopes are supported by a planetarium on campus, which is rare.

The Physics and Astronomy Department, which celebrated its centenary in 2004, is a medium-sized research intensive department. Graduates from its various programs currently hold prestigious positions in institutions in North America and Europe. The expertise of its 22 full-time faculty members is recognized by the role they play in numerous committees of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) and the granting arm of NATO, and those of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP), the International Astronomical Union, and the Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA). At present they attract in excess of $2.5 million in annual funding from a variety of sources including NSERC, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), both the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Canadian Space Agency among others. These funds help underwrite the support offered to graduate students in numerous areas, both experimental and theoretical, ranging from studies in the star and planet formation regimes, through the high energy physics of stellar explosions and the acceleration of cosmic rays, and galaxy evolution.