Astronomy at Sacramento State
Astronomy is an important part of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Professors Randy Phelps and Chris Taylor pursue active programs of research, education and public outreach at Sacramento State.
Public Outreach
Public Outreach information, including information on public observing nights, is available at the Astronomy Events page, or from the Physics Department's Calendar page.
Education
The Department offers a minor in Astronomy. The minor requires a total of 18 units from 7 courses. For more information on the minor in Astronomy, please see the CSUS catalog.
There are four regularly offered Astronomy courses:
- ASTR 004 Introduction to Astronomy
- ASTR 006 Astronomical Observation Laboratory
- ASTR 131 Solar System and Space Exploration
- ASTR 132 Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology
- ASTR 006 Astronomical Observation Laboratory
Research
Professors Phelps and Taylor maintain active research programs in Astronomy at Sacramento State.
Professor Phelps specializes in using observations of open star clusters to investigate the process of star formation and the evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy. See his own research page for further information.
Professor Taylor's research area is in observations of interstellar gas in nearby galaxies, especially dwarf galaxies. He investigates the role of this gas in the formation and evolution of these galaxies. See his own research page for further information.
Sacramento State astronomers make their observations using national and international observatories all over the world. Below is a list, and links to the web sites, for some of these observatories.
| Observatory | Location | Observatory | Location |
| The Very Large Array | Socorro, NM | Kitt Peak National Observatory | Kitt Peak, AZ |
| Lick Observatory | Mt. Hamilton, CA | Las Campanas Observatory | Chile |
| James Clerk Maxwell Telescope | Mauna Kea, HI | Hubble Space Telescope | Earth orbit |
| IRAM Interferometer | France | IRAM 30-meter Telescope | Spain |
