Expanding universe. Expanding mind.

Think outside the world

If you are interested in solving large problems with big ideas, Astronomy has a degree program for you.

In our programs, you will expand your mind using tools that can be applied to multiple problems.

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Astronomy News

Siegfried Eggl.
What can researchers learn from last month’s unusual meteor activity in the US?
Last month, at least two major, but unrelated, meteor events occurred in the skies over highly populated areas of the U.S. Both fireballs, often referred to as bolides, were seen — and heard — during daylight hours, suggesting they were unusually large. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign...
Leslie Looney and Bryan Dunne.
Leslie Looney and Bryan Dunne receive campus awards for instruction
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign each year presents Campus Awards for Excellence in Instruction to exceptional faculty and staff members, graduate teaching assistants, and advisors campuswide. The recipients were honored at a March 25 ceremony.Awardees are cited for sustained excellence...
Charlie Young sitting in a dugout with a laptop and tossing a baseball in the air.
CS+Astronomy alum Charlie Young’s work behind the scenes makes for better baseball
LIKE MILLIONS of other kids, Charlie Young, CS+astronomy & statistics ’20, dreamed of being a big-league baseball player—and never made it past high school ball. "Fortunately, I was better at computer science." And by the time...
Charles Gammie standing with his arms crossed in front of a chalkboard.
Charles Gammie named AAAS Fellow
Four faculty members at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been named 2025 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific...
A group of people listening to a presentation.
LAS undergrads grow from the "hidden curriculum" of academic conferences
 When Annie Zeng walked into her first research conference last May, she didn’t arrive with a lab group or a familiar cohort of classmates. She arrived alone, and she immediately felt like it.“I honestly felt very nervous,” said Annie, a senior pursuing a double degree in...

AstroFest 2026

Illini AstroFest is being organized to bring together members of the astrophysics community from around campus to showcase our research, encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration, and build community.

There will be poster sessions in the morning and afternoon. The plenary talks in the morning session are designed to give a broad overview of research activities in units around campus. The afternoon Career Panel session is aimed to give practical research and career advice to undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs.

All members of the Illinois campus community are welcome to attend. This event is specifically geared towards early-career researchers and faculty members. Registration is required to attend, and all registered participants are asked to present a one-minute introductory slide.

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Real data, real experiences

The universe provides plenty of room for exploration. Astronomy classes make use of vast, modern datasets to give you hands-on experience with real data. 

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Help celebrate our centennial by reaching for the stars.

100 gifts for 100 years

In celebration of the department’s centennial, we’re asking for your help to replenish the department’s annual fund. Our goal is 100 gifts for 100 years.

Celebrate with us Give to astronomy

Astronomy Courses

Illustration of observable universe

Introduction to Astronomy

Learn the basic concepts of modern astronomy, from the Solar System to the Big Bang.
heat map of universe

Introduction to Astrophysics

Survey of modern astronomy for students with background in physics.
Hubble image of universe

The Big Bang, Black Holes, and the End of the Universe

Studies the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe, and the scientific tools used to study these issues.
Stephens quartet galaxy

Galaxies and the Universe

Explore elementary aspects of physical cosmology, including galaxies in our Local Group, starburst galaxies, and quasars.
Computer generated model

Computing in Astronomy

An introduction to the use of computers in astrophysics research.

Astronomy picture of the day

Discover the cosmos with NASA.gov. Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

Learn about today's picture