The scope of physical studies--from atoms to galaxies--is well represented in the imaginative curriculum of Carleton's physics and astronomy department, as well as in the specialties of individual faculty members here. Interested students can choose from 25 regularly-offered courses. A low student-faculty ratio means many opportunities to interact with teachers.

Physics studies are centered in Olin Hall, which has excellent teaching laboratories, research areas, and computer facilities, providing students ready access to modern research equipment, including extensive electronic instrumentation and laboratory computers, a HPGe gamma detector, a 7" laboratory electromagnet, an optical spectrograph, a dye laser, x-ray diffraction equipment, an ultra high vacuum system, and a scanning tunneling/atomic force microscope.

Students with a special interest in astronomy normally complete a physics major, with emphasis on courses and projects relevant to astronomy. Goodsell Observatory, where many of these activities are carried out, was built in 1887. It contains a 16 inch Brashear visual refractor and an 8-inch Alvan Clark refractor which can be converted to photography. Other equipment includes six portable Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes with optional computer control, seven CCD cameras and a spectrometer. In addition, students have the opportunity to do computer analysis of optical and radioastronomical data gathered at various U.S. national observatories and to travel to these facilities for observations.