The Penn State Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics offers a wealth of opportunities to students with active research programs on topics ranging from the birth of stars to colliding black holes, and from the coolest stars to the most distant galaxies. Graduate students not only work in these fields -- they also participate in building the instruments that collect the data. The department's exceptional balance between observers, theorists, and instrumentalists allows students to develop a wide range of skills and enhance their chances of future employment. World-class resources, including the 8-m Hobby-Eberly Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Telescope, the SWIFT gamma-ray burst explorer satellite, and the Penn State Pulsar Machines provide students unlimited access to the edge of the observable universe.
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