# About

**Source**: https://astronomy.fas.harvard.edu/about
**Parent**: https://astronomy.fas.harvard.edu/undergraduate-program

[Welcome to the oldest academic observatory in North America.](/history "History")

[Astronomy students have access to a stunning array of resources at both Harvard and the Smithsonian.](http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/programs_of_study/astronomy.php)

[FAS Dean Michael Smith commits Harvard to help fund the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile.](http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/05/seeing-stars)

[Professor Josh Grindlay describes first data release from the historic DASCH project.](http://tdc-www.harvard.edu/plates/)

[Graduate students and alumni networking at the 2013 Astronomy reunion.](http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/04/stars-align-at-astronomy-reunion/)

[Professor Bob Kirshner advises one of the department’s 368 graduates, and future Nobel Prize winner, Brian Schmidt.](http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/10/nobel-origins/)

[Astronomy 218 class relaxes after a 4 hour experiment to measure the cosmic microwave background from the roof of building D](http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k98176)

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## From the Department Chair

Welcome to the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University, located within the [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics](http://www.cfa.harvard.edu).

Our department is young in spirit but has a century-old tradition of exceptional graduate students and faculty. Our teaching and research interests span the entire Universe with exciting observational and theoretical programs in cosmology, extra-solar planets, transients, star formation, black holes and high-energy astrophysics.\
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We are delighted to have you visit our vibrant academic home!\
\
David Charbonneau

Fred Kavli Professor of Astrophysics\
Harvard University

Visit Prof. Charbonneau's