Physics students flew aboard the "Vomit Comet" doing experiments for NASA.While in Houston, physics students met NASA astronaut Sandy Magnus.Physics students at Carthage have access to some of the world's best observatories. Students travel to Arizona every year to conduct research at Kitt Peak National Observatory.A student presents her senior thesis to faculty and fellow students.During a J-term course, students learned to make — and then race — robots.Professor Doug Arion leads students in an astronomy course.
Physics & Astronomy

From its central role in international astronomy projects, to the extraordinary research opportunities afforded to its students, the Carthage Physics & Astronomy Department offers a rigorous, exciting environment in which to study the mysteries of the universe.

Physics students at Carthage have access to some of the world's best telescopes, from Yerkes Observatory near Lake Geneva, Wis., to Kitt Peak in Arizona. Students are involved in forefront research activities with faculty, including microgravity research for NASA, computational modeling of nano-scale materials, galaxy imaging for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and cutting-edge research for the NSF Center for Adaptive Optics.

The department's dynamic faculty is actively involved in many different research areas. Prof. Doug Arion builds telescopes and seismographs. Prof. Jean Quashnock studies the formation of the universe using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Prof. Brian Schwartz uses lasers to study the basic building blocks of matter.

All faculty members are devoted to teaching and regularly invite students into their projects for real-life, real-world research experience.

"A student coming to Carthage is going to get a lot of attention in the classroom, and will have a lot of research opportunities," says Prof. Jean Quashnock, chair of the Physics & Astronomy Department. "Our students are very active, working together and with faculty on physics problems."

Academic Resources

Prospective Students

Flying High

This video was taken by Carthage Microgravity Team member Joe Monegato during a flight aboard NASA's Weightless Wonder. Read student reflections.

100 Telescopes Event

Astronomy students and faculty celebrate “100 Telescopes In The Park: A Celebration of the International Year of Astronomy.”

Stars, Telescopes, Action!