How is it like to be an astronomer?

I have always wanted to get a job that is that was to do with out of space.

Being an astronomer sounds really great and i guess it is to do with studying the stars and planets but I'm not really sure, I tried searching it up but I did not get much information on it.

I am going to take courses at A-level which are required for being an astronomer and soon after a uni course
I want to know how it is to study astronomy in university? and what would you do when you are an astronomer and what is expected of you?
=)

Reply 1

Rum Ham

20

I'm currently studying Astronomy at uni :smile:

I'm only in my first year so I'm no expert in the field yet! I came into the course with basically no training in physics and only the bare minimum maths skills but I have been improving on both subjects (slowly but surely!) I also joined a local astronomy club that meets up monthly and they help me with anything I am stuck with and let me use their telescopes and we go on field trips to local observatories. I was surprised to learn there was a local astronomy group in my area but its not a subject you hear people talk about much!

As for after uni and job prospects, I have no idea what I might go into. I might study further, maybe do astrophysics but as for now, I'm just taking it a day at a time and then I'll see where my degree gets me :smile:

Reply 2

__Adam__

9

A lot of the courses I can find seem to be joint with another subject (Mainly Physics or Maths). I'm not applying for astronomy/astrophysics but some lecturers at Liverpool Uni were talking about it during a Physics Open Day talk; it seemed quite interesting.

Which university:

http://university.which.co.uk/search/course?c%5Bacademic_years__and__some%5D%5B%5D=2014&c%5Bpage%5D=1&c%5Bq%5D=astronomy

UCAS search:

http://search.ucas.com/search/results?Vac=1&AvailableIn=2014&Query=astronomy&page=1

Those will have links to the different university courses, have a look around their websites to see module information and entry requirements etc. I used it when I was looking for Physics courses (Applied for 2014 entry).

Reply 3

ruk9211

OP

1

Original post by Yasmin25

I'm currently studying Astronomy at uni :smile:

I'm only in my first year so I'm no expert in the field yet! I came into the course with basically no training in physics and only the bare minimum maths skills but I have been improving on both subjects (slowly but surely!) I also joined a local astronomy club that meets up monthly and they help me with anything I am stuck with and let me use their telescopes and we go on field trips to local observatories. I was surprised to learn there was a local astronomy group in my area but its not a subject you hear people talk about much!

As for after uni and job prospects, I have no idea what I might go into. I might study further, maybe do astrophysics but as for now, I'm just taking it a day at a time and then I'll see where my degree gets me :smile:

Thanks

In Uni or at your local astronomy club do you have to do work on computers?

How is it like to be an astronomer?

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