Astronom

An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial objects—such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies—and the phenomena that originate beyond Earth's atmosphere. The term 'astronom' appears in several languages as the equivalent of English 'astronomer'; in English the common forms are 'astronomer' or 'astronomist.' The field of astronomy seeks to understand the structure, origin, and evolution of the universe through observation, theory, and modeling.

Work often falls into observational astronomy, which uses telescopes and detectors across multiple wavelengths, and theoretical or computational astronomy, which develops models to explain data and simulate cosmic processes. Instrumentation, data analysis, and software development are integral to modern practice. Subfields include planetary science, stellar astrophysics, extragalactic astronomy, cosmology, and astrochemistry.

Education typically requires a bachelor's degree in astronomy, physics, or a related field, with many positions requiring graduate study. Key skills include advanced mathematics, programming, statistics, and data visualization. Career paths include universities and colleges, national observatories, space agencies, research institutes, and science communication.

Historically, astronomy emerged from naked-eye observations and positional astronomy, and evolved with the scientific revolution. Today researchers use ground-based and space-based facilities—optical telescopes, radio arrays, infrared instruments, and space probes—to study the universe. The International Astronomical Union is a major professional body that coordinates nomenclature and international collaboration.