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The At the turn of the century, astronomers working at Pomona College under
the direction of Frank Brackett conducted exacting positional observations of
stars, and measured the locations and shapes of sunspots. Since those years, the
college has built an extensive set of facilities, which includes the on-campus
Brackett Observatory housing two computer-controlled 14'' telescopes and a
horizontal solar telescope. Pomona College is unique among undergraduate-only
institutions in that it owns and operates a one-meter telescope at the
high-altitude Table Mountain site in nearby Wrightwood. This research-grade
telescope is dedicated to observations by students in their coursework and
research.
The Astronomy Program offers a B.A. in physics with an astronomy option. This
course of study has been effective in providing our students with the experience
needed for future careers in astronomy and astrophysics research, as well as
industry. We also offer a minor in astronomy, and a degree in Earth, Planetary
and Space Sciences in collaboration with the Geology Department.
Pomona College offers the astronomy program jointly with Harvey Mudd College,
which allows us to offer a wider range of upper-division astronomy courses not
usually found at small colleges. Current offerings range from literary courses
such as "Archaeoastronomy & World Cosmology" to heavily mathematical courses
such as "General Relativity." One of the most popular courses on campus, "Life
in the Universe," covers topics such as astrobiology and water on Mars.
In the past several years our graduates have gone on to PhD programs in
Astronomy and Astrophysics at such places as University of Michigan, University
of Minnesota, University of Colorado, University of Massachussetts (Amherst),
Cornell University, Dartmouth University and University of Wisconsin.
Physics Department Home Page
Archeoastronomy Home Page
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