ASTRAL Consortium Expands Access to Astronomy Research for Undergraduate Students

Strategic Insights -

City College students from the ASTRAL Consortium spent two nights stargazing through powerful telescopes at Lick Observatory, marking a significant shift in the way astronomy research is conducted. The consortium, funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, brings together faculty from Bay Area public colleges and UC astronomers to provide hands-on, authentic experiences in astronomy. For the first time, undergraduate students from community colleges in the Bay Area have access to the powerful telescopes at Lick Observatory, previously reserved for University of California researchers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The ASTRAL Consortium, funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, brings together faculty from Bay Area public colleges and UC astronomers to provide hands-on, astronomy experiences for undergraduate students.
  • City College students have access to the powerful telescopes at Lick Observatory, marking a significant shift in the way astronomy research is conducted.
  • The consortium has conducted four observing runs using the 40-inch Nickel Telescope at Lick, transitioning from in-person to remote observing in 2024, and then to personal laptops in 2025.
  • Students in the program study cataclysmic variable stars, which are scientifically fascinating and unpredictable binary systems.
  • Student testimonials reveal a transformative experience, broadening their perspective on what's possible in astronomy and solidifying their desire to pursue a career in STEM.
  • The ASTRAL Consortium is creating a community of learners who experience science not just as a subject to study, but as something they can do – something they belong to.

Statistics:

  • Four observing runs have been completed using the 40-inch Nickel Telescope at Lick Observatory.
  • The first two runs took place in June and August 2023, with eight students traveling to Mt. Hamilton in a chartered bus for a two-night stay.
  • In 2024, remote observing was introduced, operating the Lick Observatory telescope from a control room at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • By 2025, students were able to conduct observations using only their personal laptops.
  • 785 students have viewed the post about ASTRAL Consortium.

Sources:

  • Claia Bryja, "Two summers ago, I had the pleasure of seeing my astronomy service-learning students gaze up at the night sky from the summit of Mt. Hamilton with the kind of awe and wonder that you just can't get from within city limits. [...] So far, we've completed four observing runs using the 40-inch Nickel Telescope at Lick. For the first two runs — June and August 2023 — we traveled in person to Mt. Hamilton." - Email message from Claia Bryja to the editor
  • [No further sources are provided in the original text]