Information on the vision, design, instrumentation, location, management, and the Cornerstone Information Centre of the Astro Campus is included in the astrocampus brief document downloadable here:
AstroCampus PDF Document 510 kB
The Department of Physics runs a successful Physics with Astrophysics undergraduate degree programme. Recent initiatives, funded by the Physics Department, University and Alumni, have greatly enhanced the equipment available to our students. During the International Year of Astronomy we plan to consolidate this effort and develop an Astro-campus.
Our vision is to provide a step change to our outreach activities, bring astronomy, astrophysics, and the related subjects of mathematics, information and communication technologies, optics, and so forth to pupils and general public in our local area. Without doubt our undergraduates will benefit from a campus, and it will enhance our student recruitment efforts, perhaps more importantly the University of York can make our equipment and the effort invested available to many more individuals including those with disabilities.
The cornerstone of this project is outreach and we have some very exciting proposals in mind. The Astro Campus which will house our enhanced optical, solar, and radio observatories is located in a secluded, fenced area of approximately 2000 m2 to the south-west of Campus West. This Campus is an intermediate step to research, with the right investment we can give access to the research we do and illustrate the impact this has on our knowledge and understanding of our universe. This will be unique and through partnerships with other regional centres provide an astrophysics centre for North and East Yorkshire. To do this we require an impressive Information Centre occupying some 200 m2 and housing a reception area, a Presentation Suite and telescope control and display systems. The Presentation Suite, equipped with a 3-dimensional mini theatre is sufficient for groups of 35 people. Using this suite we can display a new generation of three-dimensional imagery and films in production at a number of astrophysics and supercomputing centres around the globe.
Additional details, figures, and images are located in the astrocampus brief. Please feel free to download this document.
Page Last Updated: 12 March 2009