Astronomy

For the aspiring Astronomy-major who fancies his prospective field as a sort of idealistic joyride into the realm of fantasy, the best advice is "Pull out now, before it's too late!" Go out into the starry night, like Walt Whitman, and enjoy the beauty of the heavens while the learned astronomers rave on inside; but whatever you do, don't try to become a learned astronomer yourself. Astronomy is one of the meatiest, most practical fields of concentration offered at Harvard.

Despite the intense nature of the work, most of the current Astronomy majors maintain a certain stoic "we asked for it; now we're getting it" attitude. They have to. Concentration in Astronomy means long hours of lab work, virtual sacrifice of extensive extra-curricular activities.

The Astronomy major must be a composite chemist-physicist-mathematician. Since he is required to get a basic knowledge of physics and mathematics in, addition to Astronomy, the more he knows about these subjects before he starts in, the better.

Concentration Requirements

For concentration he must take Astronomy 1, 3, and 4, or substitutes from the upper-bracket courses, and in addition, Math A and 2, Physics A or B, and one additional course in Physics. Astronomy 4, 5, and 6 are designed as service courses for science majors as well as Astronomy concentrees, because they represent the practical application of the various science theories. Astronomy 5, for instance, is frequently elected by Physics majors because of its particular emphasis on atomic theory and wave mechanics.

The substitution for tutorial of an adviser system which gives "good" students the same material they might have acquired in tutorial is generally considered the departments only weak spot.

Although only eight Harvard and five Radcliffe undergraduates are presently majoring in Astronomy, the facilities of the department and the calibre of the instruction are enormous, leading the country along with the Universities of Chicago, California, and Michigan.

Guiding genius of the whole program is Harlow Shapley, Paino Professor of Practical Astronomy and world-renowned expert on external galaxies. His associates are Donald H. Monzel, professor of Astrophysics, chairman of the department and associate director for solar research; Bart J. Bok, professor of Astronomy and also an associate director; Fred L. Whipple, associate professor of Astronomy; James G. Baker, associate professor of Astronomy; James G. Baker, associate professor of astronomy; and five graduate-student section men.

In addition to its laboratories and observatories here in Cambridge, the department maintains three observing stations at strategic positions in the northern and southern hemispheres; at Oak Ridge, 25 miles north-east of Cambridge, where Astronomy concentrees work once a week; at Climax, 11,500 feet high in the Colorado Rockies; and at Bloemfontaine, South Africa.

Astronomy 1 is the department's bread-and-butter course. Devised to present a broad, scientific survey, it is not highly mathematical and no severe prerequisites are stipulated. It is an excellent practical distribution course; out of it, the non-Astronomy-major should get a reasonable good grasp of the natures of physical laws, atomic physics, and the universe, and in general an appreciation of the way the scientist solves the problems of nature.

Lab Experience for Layman

In the laboratory, the student gets experience in the making and interpretation of observation, including the photographic process, and also the opportunity to look through the telescopes. But for advanced study, Astronomy 1 is not a prerequisite, in fact concentrees with previous astronomical experience consider it a waste of time for the student who intends to major in Astronomy.

Like the medical student, the Astronomy concentree knows pretty well where he is headed long before he completes the required courses. Most concentrees here move right into advanced graduate study upon completion of the regular B. A. course of study. Harvard's Graduate School of Astronomy, instituted in 1921 by Professor Shapley, is now recognized as the country's most prolific, spawning ground for Astronomy Ph.D.'s; at present there are 17 graduate students (including 5 from Radcliffe) here. This well-integrated balance between graduate and undergraduate students, combined with the small size of even the primary courses, enhances the intimacy between students and Faculty.

Post-University Work Limited

It knits them into a compact group, and they usually stay in that more or less aloof state in the course of professional Astronomy careers. Probably not more than 200 professionally trained astronomers are active in this country at the present time. For the A.B. Astronomer fresh from college, there are few alternatives. Although one became a ballet dancer a few years back, most of them go to work in allied subjects in secondary schools and then work up to Astronomy positions in colleges and universities. Some qualify with only an A.B. for research assistant jobs in industrial laboratories, but this is rare.

There are advantages though. Astronomy "gets you away from this puny planet and gives you a concept of the vastness of the universe and the seeming endlessness of time," as Professor Monzel explains it. And there is no such thing as an unemployed astronomer. It is a choice which the undergraduate in search of a field of concentration must make after weighing both sides carefully--because on the other side of the fence, one thing is certain; 'you cannot major in Astronomy and still be a practical playboy.