Astronomy

Exploring the universe and advancing the frontiers of human knowledge.

Illuminating Understanding

Exploring the Cosmos

Astronomy at UT houses frontier research in cosmology, galaxy formation and evolution, stellar evolution and star formation, exoplanetary systems, the solar system and instrumentation. It is home to the McDonald Observatory and a major founding partner in the next-generation Giant Magellan Telescope.

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Astronomy research is answering the questions of why we're here and how we're here. Finding planets thousands of light-years away may never directly impact us, but the machine learning techniques we build to find them will.”

Anne Dattilo

Astronomy and Physics

For Majors

Experiences & Careers

Astronomy students at UT have access to world-class scientists, supercomputing resources and amazing telescopes, including at the McDonald Observatory in West Texas. Conducting research, studying abroad, traveling to the observatory and doing internships add to the student experience. Many graduates go on to careers in technology, data science, business, education, government, healthcare, research and engineering. Recent grads have jobs like:

  • Scientific software developer
  • Senior test engineer
  • Engineering scientist
  • Technical specialist

Discover astronomy major career paths

find opportunities for astronomy majors

In The Texas Scientist

Explore Stories

Amazing classes and opportunities to do first-hand research about matters no one has ever definitively known before abound at UT Austin. Our students have discovered planets, helped with mapping distant galaxies and learned of the possibilities of life well beyond our solar system.

Discovering other worlds as an undergraduate

Hunting dark energy

Finding life in the universe

Study & Learn

Astronomy tells us about the place of humankind in the universe: what led to Earth’s creation, how stars form, how galaxies come to be and evolve. Astronomy’s goal is to determine the basic and controlling properties of the universe and to transmit that knowledge to society. Below are undergraduate degrees and graduate study is also available.

Find undergraduate information and examples of courses

Find graduate program information

Type
BA
Academic Program

Astronomy

Year of Entry
2022–2024
Requirements
What to Take When
Type
BSA
Academic Program

Astronomy

Year of Entry
2022–2024
Requirements
What to Take When
Type
BSA
Academic Program

Astronomy

Honors

Year of Entry
2022–2024
Requirements
What to Take When
Type
BS
Academic Program

Astronomy: Option 1

Astronomy

Year of Entry
2022–2024
Requirements
What to Take When
Type
BS
Academic Program

Astronomy: Option 2

Honors

Year of Entry
2022–2024
Requirements
What to Take When
Type
C
Academic Program

Evidence and Inquiry

Year of Entry
2022–2024
Requirements
What to Take When
N/A

Astronomy News

Four quadrants of scientific-images come together, with webs showing bright spots for star formation, galaxy clustering, identifications of galaxies that are labeled and a futuristic network.

Announcements

New AI Institute Led by UT Researchers Will Accelerate Cosmic Discovery

Stella Offner and Arya Farahi are among the leads of a new multi-institution institute focused on AI and astronomy.

UT News

UT Astronomers Race To Capture Image of Exoplanet Near Star

An astronomical digitialized sky survey shows stellar patches with various levels of brightness. In a pull-out nearby, a circle is labeled JWST, with a brightest section labeled AF Lep b near a host star. Comparison lines nearby indicate how the Jupiter-Sun Distance and Earth-Sun distance compare.

McDonald Observatory

Early Dark Energy Could Resolve Cosmology’s Two Biggest Puzzles

Views of the early universe from a computer model

Features

Take a Tour of UT Through the Lens of Science

A turtle rests on a cement wall near a pond with the UT Tower reflected in the water.

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