Greetings from the Observatory Director
Dr. Jason Best, Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics
On behalf of Shepherd University and the University's Institute of
Environmental and Physical Sciences, I welcome you to the website of the Shepherd University Observatory. Our
astronomical facility supports and enhances University education in the sciences, research
opportunities for faculty and students, and outreach experiences for the
public of all ages. We invite you to come to the Observatory and explore
the wonders of the Universe! We hold Astronomy Open Houses during the Fall and
Spring semesters where the public is welcome to peer at the night skies.
For those unable to come to the campus, we share with the viewing public
on this website some of the images obtained at the Observatory.
We update the Images page as new pictures are obtained, so come back frequently
to see new and exciting images.
Clear Skies!
About the Observatory Director
Dr. Jason Best is a Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics
at Shepherd University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in astronomy
and astrophysics from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, and a Doctor
of Philosophy degree in astronomy and astrophysics from The Pennsylvania
State University in University Park, PA. His research focuses on the study
of galactic evolution and the large-scale structure of the universe. He has
published in the Astrophysical Journal and the Astronomical Society of the
Pacific's Mercury magazine. He has received research grants from the National
Science Foundation and has been awarded a faculty fellowship from Indiana
University, during which time he conducted research in CAVE Automatic
Virtual Environment at the I.U. Advanced Visualization Laboratory. He is
a member of the American Astronomical Society, Phi Kappa Phi, and
Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.