2 answers
EmmaSofia
Student
Yuma, Arizona
3
Questions
Updated
362 views
What is a day in the life of an astronomer like? What are the struggles of becoming an astronomer?
I enjoy looking at the stars and have considered going into the physics field. I feel like as a person who loves studying space maybe an astronomer would be a good job. What is a day in the life of an astronomer like and what struggles will it take to become one?
Login to comment
2 answers
Joseph Neilson
Radiation Detection Physicist
218
Answers
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
Before I get into the day-in-the-life question, I should highlight that the answer partly depends whether you distinguish astronomy from astrophysics and cosmology. These terms are often used interchangeably, especially if you're talking about professionals making a career in these fields - the primary career path is that of a scientist studying space, whether they call themselves an astronomer, astrophysicist, or anything else.
However, there are slight differences in the words, so when you're thinking of a career in astronomy, perhaps you're thinking more about the practical aspects of actually looking at the sky and using telescopes, rather than thinking of the calculations and data processing aspects you might associate more with astrophysics. These days, however, that distinction isn't really made and an astronomer might be doing the exact same work as an astrophysicist - a lot of the science now relies on data from large-scale ground or space-based facilities, and the traditional idea of an astronomer going out on a clear night and looking through telescopes themselves to do science is becoming rarer and rarer - that's becoming more something people do for a hobby rather than for a job. If you do make the distinction and are more interested in focusing on the practical aspects of astronomical observing, there are perhaps a couple of other types of role to consider beyond the main research scientist roles, including telescope facility technicians; or science communicators educating the public at planetariums and observatories; but I'm going to assume you're more interested in the research scientist side of astronomy and astrophysics.
Most astronomers and astrophysicists follow a very academic route, a physics (or closely related) degree, and onward into postgraduate study, PhD, and postdoctoral research jobs within a university physics/astronomy department. It's a path I also started off on before changing to a more nuclear direction - I originally was very interested in astrophysics and started out taking a Physics with Astrophysics degree. That brings me to your question on struggles and challenges of the career path; and the first thing that stands out as a potential struggle is learning and understanding the physics.
People often consider physics quite a challenging subject, and while I've always thought that if you're good at physics, it doesn't seem any more difficult than any other subject, different people encounter struggles in different places. My struggle came quite late on in my undergraduate degree study - and came about as the subject matter suddenly became more abstract and mathematical. I'd previously been quite lucky; my learning style is very dependent on developing the intuitive understanding of why something is the way it is, and once I've got that understanding, equations and problems fall into place easily without much work. That learning style served me very well in early education - I cruised through school doing minimal effort, but it gave me issues about half way through my degree, when the topics started to become more abstract and harder to develop an intuitive feel for. With some astrophysics concepts, it became a case of just knowing that it works because the maths works and the predictions it makes turn out to be correct, rather than having a good understanding of why. That really clashed with my learning style - while I could do the maths, without figuring out the why and how of what's really going on, I was somewhat lost, and didn't do as well academically as I'd hoped, so ended up changing direction into nuclear, which I found easier to understand. Of course, everyone is different, so you probably won't run into exactly my issue, but academic struggles are common. I guess my story also illustrates one of the really nice things about studying physics; which is that even if one subfield doesn't work out for you, there's so many other areas of physics you can easily adapt to and find a career in.
Another key challenge I'm aware of is the competitiveness for a limited number of jobs in academia. A lot of students have their sights set on a very small number of academic faculty jobs - competition is tough and many are disappointed. That's not to say there's no need for more physicists, though, there's a healthy market in industry for physicists and engineers, but the key astronomy/astrophysics jobs tend to be hotly competed academic positions.
Finally, thinking about the part of the question about day-in-the-life and more day-to-day tasks, this answer is already pretty long, so I'm probably best pointing you in the direction of a couple of other questions on this site where I've answered something like that - I know there's one where amongst other things I've recommended day-in-the-life videos from Dr Becky, an astrophysicist posting on YouTube.
Look at other questions on here for more astronomy day-in-the-life discussion: eg https://www.careervillage.org/questions/800351/what-does-a-day-in-the-life-of-an-astrophysicistcosmologist-look-like; and https://www.careervillage.org/questions/777963/questions-about-astrophysics
Look up Dr Becky on YouTube, especially this day-in-the-life video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW_qIqLhPkI&ab_channel=Dr.Becky
However, there are slight differences in the words, so when you're thinking of a career in astronomy, perhaps you're thinking more about the practical aspects of actually looking at the sky and using telescopes, rather than thinking of the calculations and data processing aspects you might associate more with astrophysics. These days, however, that distinction isn't really made and an astronomer might be doing the exact same work as an astrophysicist - a lot of the science now relies on data from large-scale ground or space-based facilities, and the traditional idea of an astronomer going out on a clear night and looking through telescopes themselves to do science is becoming rarer and rarer - that's becoming more something people do for a hobby rather than for a job. If you do make the distinction and are more interested in focusing on the practical aspects of astronomical observing, there are perhaps a couple of other types of role to consider beyond the main research scientist roles, including telescope facility technicians; or science communicators educating the public at planetariums and observatories; but I'm going to assume you're more interested in the research scientist side of astronomy and astrophysics.
Most astronomers and astrophysicists follow a very academic route, a physics (or closely related) degree, and onward into postgraduate study, PhD, and postdoctoral research jobs within a university physics/astronomy department. It's a path I also started off on before changing to a more nuclear direction - I originally was very interested in astrophysics and started out taking a Physics with Astrophysics degree. That brings me to your question on struggles and challenges of the career path; and the first thing that stands out as a potential struggle is learning and understanding the physics.
People often consider physics quite a challenging subject, and while I've always thought that if you're good at physics, it doesn't seem any more difficult than any other subject, different people encounter struggles in different places. My struggle came quite late on in my undergraduate degree study - and came about as the subject matter suddenly became more abstract and mathematical. I'd previously been quite lucky; my learning style is very dependent on developing the intuitive understanding of why something is the way it is, and once I've got that understanding, equations and problems fall into place easily without much work. That learning style served me very well in early education - I cruised through school doing minimal effort, but it gave me issues about half way through my degree, when the topics started to become more abstract and harder to develop an intuitive feel for. With some astrophysics concepts, it became a case of just knowing that it works because the maths works and the predictions it makes turn out to be correct, rather than having a good understanding of why. That really clashed with my learning style - while I could do the maths, without figuring out the why and how of what's really going on, I was somewhat lost, and didn't do as well academically as I'd hoped, so ended up changing direction into nuclear, which I found easier to understand. Of course, everyone is different, so you probably won't run into exactly my issue, but academic struggles are common. I guess my story also illustrates one of the really nice things about studying physics; which is that even if one subfield doesn't work out for you, there's so many other areas of physics you can easily adapt to and find a career in.
Another key challenge I'm aware of is the competitiveness for a limited number of jobs in academia. A lot of students have their sights set on a very small number of academic faculty jobs - competition is tough and many are disappointed. That's not to say there's no need for more physicists, though, there's a healthy market in industry for physicists and engineers, but the key astronomy/astrophysics jobs tend to be hotly competed academic positions.
Finally, thinking about the part of the question about day-in-the-life and more day-to-day tasks, this answer is already pretty long, so I'm probably best pointing you in the direction of a couple of other questions on this site where I've answered something like that - I know there's one where amongst other things I've recommended day-in-the-life videos from Dr Becky, an astrophysicist posting on YouTube.
Joseph recommends the following next steps:
Thank you Joseph, this really helped me!
EmmaSofia
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1573
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Emma expect to spend around 9 years on your astronomer education, including 4 years to obtain your undergraduate degree, an additional 2 years for your Master's degree, and finally 3 years to earn your Ph.D. in astronomy.
If you're interested in pursuing a career in astronomy, there are several high school courses that can provide a strong foundation in relevant subjects. While specific course offerings may vary between schools, here are some courses that can help prepare you for a future in astronomy:
🌐 PHYSICS: Physics is fundamental to understanding the laws and principles governing the universe. Take courses in physics to learn about motion, forces, energy, electricity, magnetism, and optics. This will provide you with a solid understanding of the physical principles that underpin astronomical phenomena.
Ⓜ️ MATHEMATICS: Mathematics is the language of science, and a strong mathematical background is crucial for astronomers. Take courses in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. These subjects will help you develop analytical and problem-solving skills essential for studying and interpreting astronomical data.
🌎 EARTH SCIENCE: This course can provide a general overview of the Earth's geology, atmosphere, and solar system. It may cover topics like planetary science, the structure of the Earth, celestial mechanics, and basic astronomy concepts. This course can introduce you to key astronomical concepts and give you a broader perspective on the field.
🖥️ COMPUTER SCIENCE: Astronomy heavily relies on data analysis and computational modeling. Learning computer programming languages, such as Python or Java, can be immensely helpful for processing and analyzing astronomical data and developing simulations. Consider taking computer science courses or engaging in programming activities to build these skills.
⚗️ CHEMISTRY: While not directly related to astronomy, a solid foundation in chemistry can be beneficial. It helps in understanding the composition of celestial objects, spectroscopy, and chemical reactions occurring in space. Take chemistry courses to gain knowledge of chemical principles, atomic structure, and chemical reactions.
If you're interested in pursuing a career in astronomy, there are several high school courses that can provide a strong foundation in relevant subjects. While specific course offerings may vary between schools, here are some courses that can help prepare you for a future in astronomy:
🌐 PHYSICS: Physics is fundamental to understanding the laws and principles governing the universe. Take courses in physics to learn about motion, forces, energy, electricity, magnetism, and optics. This will provide you with a solid understanding of the physical principles that underpin astronomical phenomena.
Ⓜ️ MATHEMATICS: Mathematics is the language of science, and a strong mathematical background is crucial for astronomers. Take courses in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. These subjects will help you develop analytical and problem-solving skills essential for studying and interpreting astronomical data.
🌎 EARTH SCIENCE: This course can provide a general overview of the Earth's geology, atmosphere, and solar system. It may cover topics like planetary science, the structure of the Earth, celestial mechanics, and basic astronomy concepts. This course can introduce you to key astronomical concepts and give you a broader perspective on the field.
🖥️ COMPUTER SCIENCE: Astronomy heavily relies on data analysis and computational modeling. Learning computer programming languages, such as Python or Java, can be immensely helpful for processing and analyzing astronomical data and developing simulations. Consider taking computer science courses or engaging in programming activities to build these skills.
⚗️ CHEMISTRY: While not directly related to astronomy, a solid foundation in chemistry can be beneficial. It helps in understanding the composition of celestial objects, spectroscopy, and chemical reactions occurring in space. Take chemistry courses to gain knowledge of chemical principles, atomic structure, and chemical reactions.
This was very helpful, thank you for answering my question Doc!
EmmaSofia