Overview

If you take any astronomy class at Calvin, you’ll get to work with photographs from Calvin’s telescope and have an opportunity to discover an asteroid or a variable star.

Want to go more in depth? Calvin's astronomy minor is a 21-hour program designed to complement a variety of majors. To prepare for a career in astronomy or astrophysics, you should complete a minor in astronomy and a major in physics.

Other opportunities 

• On the "Astronomy in the Southwest" January interim course, you will visit major telescopes throughout New Mexico and Arizona, visit major geological sites to study the history of our own planet and work with Calvin's own telescope in Rehoboth, New Mexico.
• In a summer research project with a professor, you will gain hands-on experience studying an open-ended question on the frontiers of astronomy. Recent examples of projects: computer simulations of asteroid orbits, discovering new types of variable stars, and measuring the shapes of galaxies. Learn more » 

"One of my high school friends introduced me to Calvin and convinced me to visit the physics and astronomy department, and I was amazed by the wide range of opportunities for undergraduate astronomy students. Beginning in my first year at Calvin, I collaborated with physics and astronomy professor Larry Molnar on asteroid research, and that research continued and expanded throughout my Calvin career. I co-authored papers and gave presentations on our project, and in my senior year I traveled to Puerto Rico to present our work to an international audience at a planetary science conference. Calvin gave me the background and experience in physics that allowed me to apply to top graduate programs."

—Melissa Haegert Dykhuis ‘10

Careers in Astronomy

• Researcher at NASA
• Telescope operator
• Planetarium director
• High school teacher
• More career opportunities

See job placement rates for Calvin grads.

Student involvement

Work in the Calvin Astronomical Observatory, operating the telescopes for visitors, class projects and research; write for the Science and Technology section in Chimes; attend seminars on cutting-edge research; enjoy department gatherings at professors' homes

Course Requirements 2012-13

Astronomy

Students interested in a career in astronomy or astrophysics should major in physics, minor in astronomy, and plan their program with D. Haarsma or L. Molnar. The local and remote telescopes and cameras of the Calvin Observatory are available for student use through the director of the observatory.

The physical world core requirement may be met by:

• ASTR-110 Planets, Stars, and Galaxies
• ASTR-111 The Solar System
• ASTR-112 Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe
• One course from:
  • ASTR-211 Planetary and Stellar Astronomy
  • ASTR-212 Galactic Astronomy and Cosmology

The minor in astronomy has the following course requirements (At least 21 semester hours):

• PHYS-133 Introductory Physics: Mechanics/Gravity
• PHYS-134 Matter, Space, and Energy
• ASTR-211 Planetary & Stellar Astronomy
• ASTR-212 Galactic Astronomy & Cosmology
• PHYS-246 Waves, Optics, and Optical Technology
• ASTR-384 Modern Observational Astronomy
• ASTR-395 Astronomy Research, Writing & Presentation

Students pursuing a physics major and astronomy minor must follow college guidelines for overlap between a major and a minor; this is facilitated by the option in the physics major of substituting upper-level courses for introductory ones.

Scholarships

Dollar amounts reflect awards given for the 2012-13 academic year.

Roger D. Griffioen Physics and Astronomy Scholarship

• award amount: $1,850
• first-year
• GPA 2.5+
• financial need not required
• prospective students apply through the Physics Department; automatic consideration for returning students

View all scholarship opportunities

Faculty

Stanley Haan Professor SC 325 | SB 180 haan@calvin.edu (616) 526-6442 Deborah Haarsma Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 181 dhaarsma@calvin.edu (616) 526-6340 Loren Haarsma Associate Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 260 lhaarsma@calvin.edu (616) 526-8517 Paul Harper Associate Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 161 pharper@calvin.edu (616) 526-6408 Larry Molnar Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 173 lmolnar@calvin.edu (616) 526-6341

Steven Steenwyk Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 175 ssteen@calvin.edu (616) 526-8542 David Van Baak Professor, on leave fall 2012 Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 150 dvanbaak@calvin.edu (616) 526-6275 Andrew Vanden Heuvel Teaching Staff Department of Physics and Astronomy avheuv99@calvin.edu (616) 526-7436 Matthew Walhout Professor, Dean for Research and Scholarship Department of Physics and Astronomy SC 327 mwalhout@calvin.edu (616) 526-6869