# Department of Astronomy ## Welcome to the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University From the Department Chair Located within the [Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.](http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/) Our department is young in spirit but has a century-old tradition of exceptional graduate students and faculty. Our teaching and research interests span the entire Universe with exciting observational and theoretical programs in cosmology, extra-solar planets, transients, star formation, black holes and high-energy astrophysics. We are delighted to have you visit our vibrant academic home! [David Charbonneau](/people/david-charbonneau "David Charbonneau") Fred Kavli Professor of Astrophysics Harvard University ![Astronomy Department Group Photo September 2025 ](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_28_10__1920x685/public/2025-09/Astroinomy%20Department%20Group%20Photo%20September%202025%20%20%203.jpg?itok=zQRnLUK4) ## News [### Astronomy Class of 2026 GSAS Graduates ](/news/2026/05/astronomy-class-2026-gsas-graduates) May 29, 2026 The Astronomy Department congratulates our 2026 Class of doctoral graduates Vedant Chandra, Shelley Cheng, Hyerin Cho, Victoria DiTomasso, Jiwon (Jesse) Han, Osase Omoruyi, Sophia Sanchez-Maes, and Alexia Simon. ![GSAS Graduates 2026 group photo in Sanders Theater](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/IMG_4522.jpeg?itok=C3-_uvuF) [### Congratulations to the graduating Astronomy astrophysics concentrators! ](/news/2026/05/congratulations-graduating-astronomy-astrophysics-concentrators) May 28, 2026 Congratulations to the graduating Astronomy astrophysics concentrators! Our seniors this year are: Bruna Biz, Hannah Burrows, Callie Garcia, Sol Gutierrez-Lara, Amaan Khwaja, Thomas Leeds, Sophie Magaro, Ashini Modi, Mekhi Moore, Jasmine Palma Gomez... ![Astronomy graduating concentrators 2026 group photo](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/undergrads%202026.jpeg?itok=3A_rksGQ) [### Goldberg Prizes awarded to Astronomy concentrators Larom Segev and Carl (Cal) Guia at end of year Awards Ceremony ](/news/2026/05/goldberg-prizes-awarded-astronomy-concentrators-larom-segev-and-carl-cal-guia-end-year) May 27, 2026 The 2026 Goldberg Prizes awarded to Astronomy concentrators Larom Segev and Carl (Cal) Guia at end of year Awards Ceremony on May 26, 2026. Larom Segev won the senior Goldberg Prize for developing an automatic scheduler for the Rubin Telescope as it... ![Larom Segev receives the Goldberg Prize from Dave Charbonneau](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/Goldberg%20Prize%202026.jpeg?itok=vSkR2ah7) [### Vedant Chandra (GSAS, ’26) wins the 2025 Fireman Fellowship ](/news/2026/05/vedant-chandra-gsas-26-wins-2025-fireman-fellowship) May 27, 2026 The Astronomy Department is pleased to award the 2025 Fireman Fellowship to Vedant Chandra (GSAS, ’26), who was honored for the thesis "Mapping the Uncharted Horizons of the Milky Way." Advisor: Charlie Conroy The gift of Rita S. Fireman to the Harvard... ![Vedant Chandra receives the 2026 Fireman Fellowship from Dave Carbonneau](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/Fireman%202026.jpg?itok=sBmTWW-p) [### Hyerin Cho wins the 2026 ITC Keto Prize ](/news/2026/05/hyerin-cho-wins-2026-itc-keto-prize) May 27, 2026 The Astronomy Department congratulates Hyerin Cho for winning the 2026 Keto Prize from the ITC for the thesis " Black Hole Accretion and Feedback: From the Event Horizon to Galactic Scales" (Advisor: Ramesh Narayan). The Eric R. Keto Prize for Graduate... ![Hyerin Cho receives the 2026 Keto Prize](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/2026%20Keto%20Prize.jpg?itok=7QH3BJs5) [### Astronomy grads Adam Distler and Matthew Werneken win 2026 Hertz Fellowships ](/news/2026/05/astronomy-grads-adam-distler-and-matthew-werneken-win-2026-hertz-fellowships) May 06, 2026 Astronomy grad students Adam Distler and Matthew Werneken were announced as winners of 2026 Hertz Fellowships, providing financial and lifelong professional support for the nation’s most promising doctoral students in the applied sciences, engineering and... ![Adam Distler and Matthew Werneken headshots](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/Adam_and_Matthew.jpg?itok=PSBbjzFO) [### Three senior Astrophysics concentrators win 2026 Hoopes Awards ](/news/2026/05/three-senior-astrophysics-concentrators-win-2026-hoopes-awards) May 05, 2026 Congratulations to three Astrophysics concentrators on winning 2026 Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize for excellence in undergraduate work: Larom Segev for her submission entitled “Cloudy with a Chance of Data: A Dynamic Scheduler for AllSky Surveys with Real... description [### Beyond the Telescope: How Stars Shape Galaxies talk by Scott Lucchini and Alyssa Goodman ](/news/2026/05/beyond-telescope-how-stars-shape-galaxies-talk-scott-lucchini-and-alyssa-goodman) May 01, 2026 Beyond the Telescope: How Stars Shape Galaxies When: May 4, 7pm Where: Boston Museum of Science More Information and Registration Join astrophysicists Scott Lucchini and Alyssa Goodman on an expedition through the lives of stars and how they shape their... ![James Webb Space Telescope image of cluster](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/jwst_ngc628.jpg?itok=EWf_2kcu) [### Harvard astronomy seniors kick off careers with thesis presentations at the CfA ](/news/2026/04/harvard-astronomy-seniors-kick-careers-thesis-presentations-cfa) April 29, 2026 Cambridge, MA (April 27, 2026) — Six Harvard undergraduate astronomers presented their senior theses at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian this week, concluding a year of intensive training and hands-on research under CfA scientists. The... ![Undergraduate Amaan Khwaja discusses his model of the red giant Betelgeuse and its companion star.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-04/KHWAJA.jpg?itok=HiOFMpdK) [### Allyson Bieryla Named 2026 Shapley Visiting Lecturer ](/news/2026/04/allyson-bieryla-named-2026-shapley-visiting-lecturer) April 08, 2026 The American Astronomical Society has named Allyson Bieryla--Manager of the Astronomy Lab and Clay Telescope, as well as Assistant DUS in Astronomy--a 2026 Shapley Visiting Lecturer. In her role, Alyson will give a series of astronomy-themed lectures to... ![Allyson Bieryla headshot](/sites/g/files/omnuum6286/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-09/Allyson-Bieryla-bio-0124.jpg?itok=i0q9wFY0) [ Read More arrow\_circle\_right ](/news)