The Cambridge University has three large astronomy departments as follows:

• The Institute of Astronomy, concentrating on theoretical astronomy and optical, infrared and x-ray observations
• The Cavendish Astrophysics Group, concentrating on radio and submillimetre observations and instrumentation, observational cosmology and all aspects of astronomical interferometry, and operating the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory
• The Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics and Isaac Newton Institute in the Faculty of Mathematics , include theoretical astronomy and cosmology amongst other disciplines

Links

• The Institute of Astronomy website
• The Cavendish Astrophysics Group website
• The Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics website

History

Although Astronomy has been taught at the Studium Generale in Cambridge since medieval times, the departmental structure has changed frequently, and all three of departments listed above were founded within the last two centuries.

The first astronomical observatory at Cambridge University was built at the top of Trinity College gatehouse in 1704.