The Astronomy Group is a part of the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Vanderbilt University.

Both theoretical and observational research is carried out at Vanderbilt. Observational work is carried out at various national, international and space-platform facilities. In addition, Vanderbilt is a partner in the SMARTS Consortium, which operates the four smaller telescopes (0.9m, 1.0m, 1.3m, 1.5m) at CTIO. The ACCRE cluster, with over 1500 nodes, provides the resources for computational astrophysics.

The graduate program in Astronomy (Ph.D. in Physics with dissertation research in astronomy/astrophysics) provides a good background and sound experience in the fields of observational and theoretical astrophysics.

Vanderbilt also hosts a NSF supported REU program for undergraduates.

Vanderbilt also operates Dyer Observatory, a small observatory several miles south of campus whose original construction was overseen by Carl Seyfert in the early 1950s. The observatory is today dedicated to a mission of public outreach and education.

Vanderbilt and the University of Cape Town have entered a partnership to share facilities, faculty, and students in an attempt to recruit and train more scientists in physics, astronomy, and the material sciences, especially in the underrepresented minorities. Keivan Stassun and James Dickerson are spearheading this project from Vanderbilt's side. As part of this collaboration, an automated telescope facility will be built near Cape Town at the South African Astronomical Observatory. Click here to see the details of the Vanderbilt-Capetown Partnership.