Undergad Labs

About Astronomy Labs

Columbia Astronomy offers two 1-point lab courses, UN 1903 and UN 1904, that satisfy Barnard College's general education requirements. The labs supplement astronomy lecture courses with practical activities and observations on the roof of Pupin Hall, weather permitting.

To take the lab, you should be enrolled in a paired astronomy lecture. You may also take the paired lecture in advance of the lab, though we recommend taking lab plus lecture in the same semester.

The labs are optional; no lecture class requires you to also enroll in lab.

ASTR UN 1903 (Lab I: Earth, Moon, & Planets) pairs with:

ASTR UN 1904 (Lab II: Stars, Galaxies, & Cosmology) pairs with:

Labs usually start in the second week of classes (first full week of school). You must attend the first lab meeting; if you are absent and don't notify your instructor in advance, you will be dropped to make room for waitlisted students.

Labs meet in either Pupin 1332 or 1402. To reach Pupin 1402, take the elevator to 13th floor, then stairs to 14th floor.

Barnard and Columbia Science Requirements

If you entered Barnard in Fall 2016 or later:

You need two semesters of science which can be from different departments and one semester of lab paired with one of the science lectures (Foundations). Taking both astronomy lecture and lab fulfills 2 of 3 pieces of the Foundations science requirement.

If you entered Barnard before Fall 2016:

You need two semesters of science from the same department, paired with two labs (Nine Ways of Knowing). Lecture and lab sequences for the Nine Ways requirement are listed on Barnard's catalog.

If you are not a Barnard student:

Labs do not satisfy any special requirement beyond providing course credit. Astronomy lectures by themselves count towards the Columbia College or General Studies science requirement.

Questions?

If you have questions or want more information, please email head TA Julia Blue Bird ([email protected]) or Professor Laura Kay ([email protected]).