Career Details :: Astronomers
Description
Observe, research, and interpret celestial and astronomical phenomena to increase basic knowledge and apply such information to practical problems.
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Tasks
- Studies celestial phenomena from ground or above atmosphere, using various optical devices, such as telescopes situated on ground or attached to satellites.
- Studies history, structure, extent, and evolution of stars, stellar systems, and universe.
- Calculates orbits and determines sizes, shapes, brightness, and motions of different celestial bodies.
- Develops mathematical tables giving positions of sun, moon, planets, and stars at given times for use by air and sea navigators.
- Designs optical, mechanical, and electronic instruments for astronomical research.
- Analyzes wave lengths of radiation from celestial bodies, as observed in all ranges of spectrum.
- Determines exact time by celestial observations and conducts research into relationships between time and space.
- Computes positions of sun, moon, planets, stars, nebulae, and galaxies.
Related Careers
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians
- Civil Drafters
- Electrical Engineering Technicians
- Geologists
- Hydrologists
- Mechanical Engineers
- Physicists
- Surveyors
Important Abilities
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Deductive Reasoning
- Number Facility
General Work Activities
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Processing Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
- Monitor Processes, Material, Surroundings
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Being Aware of New Events
- Consequence of Error
- Sitting
- Indoors
Related Majors
| Major | Add to XapPack |
|---|---|
| Astrogeophysics |  [ add ] |
| Astronomy | [ add ] |
| Astronomy/Astrophysics | [ add ] |
| Astronomy/Physics | [ add ] |
| Astronomy/Planetary Sciences | [ add ] |
| Astrophysics | [ add ] |
| Earth Science | [ add ] |
| Earth Science Education | [ add ] |
| Earth Sciences | [ add ] |
| Earth/Atmospheric/Planetary Sciences | [ add ] |
| Earth/Environmental Science | [ add ] |
| Earth/Environmental Sciences | [ add ] |
| Earth/Planetary Sciences | [ add ] |
| Earth/Planetary Sciences/Meteorology | [ add ] |
| Earth/Planetary Sciences/Oceanography | [ add ] |
| Earth/Space Science | [ add ] |
| Earth/Space Sciences | [ add ] |
| Environmental Sciences/Geoscience | [ add ] |
| Geology/Planetary Science | [ add ] |
| Life/Earth Science | [ add ] |
| Meteorology | [ add ] |
| Physics/Astronomy | [ add ] |
| Planetary Science | [ add ] |
| Planetary/Space Sciences | [ add ] |
| Science of Earth Systems | [ add ] |
| Secondary Education/Earth/Space Sciences | [ add ] |
| Space Physics/Astronomy | [ add ] |
Institutions Offering Related Majors
No institutions found.