About
At UC Santa Cruz, we’re exploring the universe and preparing the next generation of scientific explorers.
Constraints on the size of telescopes were shattered with our invention of segmented mirror technology as an alternative to a single slab of glass. Our scientists conceptualized the role of dark matter in shaping the structure of the universe. Our pioneering work with the world’s fastest computers is unveiling the secrets of the universe through computational analysis and visualization of mind-boggling phenomena: merging black holes, exploding stars, and the formation and evolution of galaxies. We launched and lead the field of adaptive optics, critical in allowing astronomers to correct the blurring effect of turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere.
UC Santa Cruz manages the UC Observatories, which operates the Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton, oversees UC’s partnership in the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, and is the central coordinator for UC’s participation in the international Thirty Meter Telescope project.
Our faculty and alumni have received highest honors—from international research prizes and elections to the National Academy of Science, to a Niels Bohr professorship for Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, to the Kavli Prize awarded to emeriti professor Jerry Nelson and the National Medal of Science awarded to emeriti professor Sandra Faber.
We are focused in three centers of discovery:
- Theoretical Astrophysics Santa Cruz (TASC). A true interdisciplinary approach to scientific computation and the visualization of the universe. With the use of supercomputers we test complex theories of our dynamic universe. Our partners include the UC Santa Cruz Digital Arts and New Media Center.
- Other Worlds Laboratory (OWL). A comprehensive research effort to find and understand planets around other stars and explore the diversity of our own solar system. Through new observations and sophisticated computer modeling we strive to understand how planets form and evolve over time and whether life exists on worlds beyond the Earth.
- Institute for Astronomical Instrumentation Research. Harnessing our expertise in developing the new technologies that will form the foundation for the world’s largest telescopes and other instruments.
Academics
The department offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Ph.D. graduates often obtain postdoctoral positions at research institutions and continue on in academia. Undergraduate majors often enter the K-12 teaching workforce as well as begin graduate studies at top Ph.D. programs in the U.S. Explore our undergraduate and graduate program options.
Astro Commitment
We are committed to support a diverse community and an inclusive environment that promotes innovation and scientific excellence.
Contact & Visitor Information
Contact
Department Office
Room 271 of the Interdisciplinary Sciences Building (ISB) on Science Hill
Office Hours
M-F, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, and closed 12:00 – 1:00 PM for lunch.
Telephone: (831) 459-1311
Fax: (831) 426-3115
Parking
Find a parking map here.
Address
USPS Mailing Address:
UC Santa Cruz
Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics
1156 High Street
MS: UCO / LICK
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
FedEx Delivery Address:
UC Santa Cruz
Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics
1156 High Street
ISB Bldg Room 260
Santa Cruz, CA 95064