Strong stellar and solar programs

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whitegold
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:06 am

Strong stellar and solar programs

Post by whitegold » Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:19 am

I am interested in theoretical solar/stellar astrophysics. Most of the top schools seem to have an unending string of cosmology professors (which I could be interested in) with maybe one or two stellar astrophysicists. Are there any programs renowned for their solar or stellar astrophysics graduate programs?

My adviser claims Montana State University is the premier location for solar physics at the moment. I found this a little surprising given MSU's less than stellar rankings, but it seems like every solar physicist I speak to has very high esteem for the program there, so I'm sure a degree from there in solar physics would carry a lot of weight. My concern is that they may not be strong enough in other programs in case I decide solar is not for me. As I said, I'm potentially interested in cosmology, as well as galaxy evolution.

So basically, I'm looking for a very strong astrophysics program that happens to also have a strong stellar or solar physics program. I know the main inventor of MESA, Bill Paxton, is currently situated at UC Santa Barbara. Any other suggestions?

P.s. "Top ten" schools are a pretty huge reach for me, so I'm especially looking for schools near the top of the "second-tier" so to speak.

blackmass
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:01 pm

Re: Strong stellar and solar programs

Post by blackmass » Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:39 am

University of Colorado Boulder has a solar and space physics program. From what I understand, it's supposedly a very good graduate program.

whitegold
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:06 am

Re: Strong stellar and solar programs

Post by whitegold » Sun Aug 10, 2014 3:00 pm

blackmass wrote:University of Colorado Boulder has a solar and space physics program. From what I understand, it's supposedly a very good graduate program.
Yep, I had heard goods things about CU's solar program as well, as well as their graduate program in general. Plus I definitely wouldn't mind living in Boulder...

Does anyone know about UT-Austin's program? It seems like a huge number of stellar astrophysicists are working there.



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