Why I Chose Astronomy

I chose astronomy for a few reasons, the main one being that I love and am obsessed with astronomy. I have always been in love with the stars, though I didn’t consider astronomy as a career until mid grade seven. It was not until grade nine that I became passionately determined to become an astronomer. I am still so today.

There were many factors that influenced my decision to pursue this career. My dad loves to stargaze, and I’d often go out with him, lean against the car, and just stare up at the stars. My dad taught me some star names, asterisms and constellations. Also, my dad has a friend named Peter Dawson who is an astronomy professor at Trent University. It was the stories of how Peter had painted the constellations on his dining room walls that really struck me. (In this past summer, I actually saw Peter’s dining room. It’s really quite amazing!)

When my sister and I were younger, my dad though it might be interesting if we studied things together, independent of school. We drew nominated topics out of a hat, and what we pulled out was astronomy. My sister chose to research nebulae first, while I decided to start with the solar system. We didn’t take up these independent studies for long, but I grew attached to what I learned, and it became more than just a hobby. I have the poetry, art, magazines, books, binoculars, software and Trent University astronomy textbook to prove it.

Education

In high school, it is best to take as much math, computers and science possible, especially physics. These three subjects are the building blocks of astronomy. It would also be wise to take some chemistry courses, as chemistry is important in many fields of astronomy.

Most people who take astronomy programs in university stay for about 10 years. You might get away with eight, or you may have to stay for twelve. It depends on which university you’re going to and which field of astronomy you’re researching. (Twelve years. It’s never too early to start saving up!)

To minimum for becoming an astronomer is a PhD. But first, you need to get a Bachelor of Science degree (takes around four years), and perhaps a Master of Science (one to two years). Once you have those, you can get admitted into a PhD program. The time it takes to complete this varies. It depends on the coursework and progression of research. In order to get a PhD, you have to write a 100 – 300 page thesis with original research. This has never been done before by anybody.

Unfortunately, there are only a few universities/colleges in Ontario that offer astronomy. These universities are Western, York, Queen’s, McMaster, Toronto, and Mississauga. Though this is likely to change between now and application time. Universities outside of Ontario that offer Astronomy include the Universities of British Columbia, Victoria, Manitoba, and Saint Mary’s University in Nova Scotia. There are also about 100 universities/colleges in the USA that have astronomy programs, one of the more well known schools being the University of Wyoming.

Skills / Requirements

The skills and requirements you need depend on what area of astronomy you want to go into. Do you want to be an observationalist, or a theorist? Do you want to study planetary biology, or stellar spectroscopy? But what you need overall, though, is this. You need to have good observation skills, and you should be capable of making sense of what you see. Astronomers are usually good at math, are good analyzers, and are logical. You don’t have to be a good programmer to be an astronomer, but you should be capable of using a computer for editing files, transferring data across networks, and analyzing their astronomical data. Other important traits are patience, determination, and communication skills. Sometimes sticking with and solving a difficult problem can take years, so of those mentioned above, patience and determination are especially good to have. But don’t cross communication skills off the list just yet. Communication skills are important for effective public speaking at professional meetings and the ability to publish well written articles in scientific journals.

Related Careers

There are a lot of careers within astronomy and related to astronomy. Some astronomy fields include:

®    Stellar spectroscopy (the study of a stars spectrum, chemistry, mass, temperature, colour, etc. This is what I have considered doing).

®    Galactic structure (the study of the structure of galaxies, their evolution, their movement through space, interaction with other galaxies, etc).

®    Interstellar matter (the study of the matter within space, for example black holes and nebulae).

®    Radio astronomy (learn about principals and methods of observation. Also study of antennas and arrays, interferometers, polarimeters, receivers, recorders, and calibration devices).

®    Planetary science (the study of planets, such as atmosphere, core, surface, rings, orbital pattern, rotation, etc.)

®    Extragalactic astronomy (material content, energetics, and evolution of the universe beyond the Milky Way. Studies global properties of galaxies and clusters, the extragalactic distance scale, extragalactic radio sources, large scale structure, dark matter, and cosmology.

Careers that are related to astronomy include:

®    Cosmology (the study of the structure, creation, and evolution of the universe).

®    Archaeoastronomy (the study of the astronomical practices, celestial lore, mythologies, religions and world-views of all ancient cultures. It is the "anthropology of astronomy", not the "history of astronomy").

®    Physicist. A person who studies the structure of matter. They also deal with energy, atoms, molecules, and their interaction with each other.

®    Astronaut. A person who not just peeks at space through the limits of a telescope, but actually goes up into space. An astronaut a highly qualified and extensively trained scientist, engineer, and other expert who has been chosen to explore space. (One of my role-models is Canadian astronaut Julie Payette.) Astronauts conduct experiments and increase our knowledge of our earth and beyond.

About Astronomy

Astronomy is the study of everything in the universe beyond earth; from the smallest grains of interstellar dust to the swirling mists of nebulae, from vibrating pulsars to the largest stars and clusters of galaxies.

Astronomy is an old subject that dates back as far as ancient Egypt. The first astronomers were fascinated by the night sky and mapped the motions of planets and stars, using only their math skills and the naked eye. Today, astronomy is a much more complex science. Instead of depending on the naked eye, astronomers develop and use advanced telescopes and computerized instruments to discover what lies within the universe.

There are two main types of astronomers. Observational astronomers are usually based at major observatories, universities and colleges, and research institutions. Equipment, such as optical or radio telescopes, are used to gather and analyze information about stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. Observationalists measure properties such as mass, distance, size, and motion to test their ideas. They pay special attention to objects in space. For example, meteors that could collide into the earth. Observationalists also work with other scientists to predict weather patterns based on activities of the sun (solar flares, for example).

Astrophysicists are also known as theoretical astronomers. Theorists use the laws of physics and math to test theories about matter, energy, atoms, and molecules. They sometimes test their theories on particles in the lab, though this doesn’t happen often. They use special equipment to smash particles together at high speeds to observe their effects on each other. By performing such tests, they hope to learn about the nature and history of the universe. These experiments can also help theorists research things like the sun’s energy and determine how it can be harnessed and used as a power supply.

Salaries

A little over half of all astronomers become professors at universities and colleges because the average astronomer’s salary is low, yet just financially comfortable. An assistant professor can make $45,000 - $55,000 a year, whereas an experience, full-time professor can make $60,000 - $80,000 or more a year. These salaries can be increased by taking part in other things, such as writing astronomy books. For example, Terence Dickinson is a famous Canadian astronomer, author, and magazine editor.

Astronomers who work at small planetariums can make $30,000 - $40,000 a year. However, those working at a major planetarium can make up to $80,000 a year. Astronomers who work for a private firm generally get less job security than astronomers who work for the government or at universities. They tend to earn higher salaries, though.

Employment Opportunities

A person who takes a direct path through graduate school and two postdoctoral appointments would be able to get a job at this level by about age 33, approximately 16 years after high school graduation. Even though it’s difficult to become an astronomer, almost everybody who gets a degree in astronomy or physics is employed. Less than 2% walk away careerless.

There are many places where people can get a job as an astronomer. Universities, colleges, observatories, NASA, and other major space organizations are the best places to get a job with a comfortable salary. There is a site on the web (listed in the Bibliography as “Jobs in Astronomy”) where you can check out which observatories and organizations have positions open and when they’re hiring.

Interesting Facts

Some interesting facts about astronomy include:

v     You don’t have to major in astronomy to become an astronomer. Many astronomers major in physics. In fact, sstudents with a strong core of physics classes along with some astronomy research experience are most attractive to astronomy graduate school admissions committees.

v     There is a severe lack of jobs for astronomers and it's not expected to get better soon. There are only about 6000 professional astronomers in the USA and many are employed in tenured positions, resulting in very few "traditional" jobs for astronomers.

v     There are lots of different jobs for astronomers, such as working in a variety of technical fields, defence and aerospace industries, computing, and education. Though defence and aerospace are downsizing, and careers in this area are not as available as they used to be.

v     There are also jobs for astronomers without a PhD, such as computing and image processing, science librarian, science educator, planetarium or science museum director, instrument designer or builder, observing technician, telescope operator, observing assistant, optical engineer, design drafting technician, secretary, electronic technician, accountants, and more.

Bibliography

Websites:

Career Cruising → http://careercruising.com/ ← Info for skills and requirements, education, salaries, related careers, about astronomy, and interesting facts.

FAQ: Being and Astronomer → http://www.noao.edu/education/astfaq.html ← Info for salaries, education, employments opportunities, skills and requirements, and interesting facts.

Jobs in Astronomy → http://www.phys-astro.sonoma.edu/people/faculty/tenn/Jobs.html#astr ← Info for employment opportunities.

Physics/Astronomy at the University of Western Ontario → http://www.physics.uwo.ca/ ← Info for related careers, skills and requirements, and education.

Physics/Astronomy at Queens University → http://www.physics.queensu.ca/ ← Info for related careers, skills and requirements, and education.

American Astronomical Society FAQ → http://www.aas.org/education/students.htm ← Info for interesting facts, skills and requirements, education, salaries, and employment opportunities.

AAS Job Listings → http://www.aas.org/career/Joblistings.html ← Info for education.

Other:

• Knowledge that has been embedded into my soul after years of interest in astronomy. In other words, I knew quite a bit already.
• Peter Dawson, my dad’s friend, astronomer, and professor at Trent University. Gave me an extra copy of the Trent Astronomy textbook, and I asked him questions via email about what it takes to be an astronomer.

Interview with an Astronomer

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to talk to my dad’s friend (Peter Dawson) and ask him questions about becoming an astronomer. I asked him only a few questions, because at the time I only wanted to know what it is generally like to be an astronomer. (Unfortunately, I didn’t keep my questions, just his answers. I will try and reconstruct my questions as best I can remember.)

Me: I hear there are two main types of astronomers. What are they called, and what do they do?

Peter Dawson (PD):  The two strands might better be identified as "observational" and theoretical. Both are essential -- one can't theorize without the data provided by observers, and the theoretical work is necessary to organize and understand those data. What I can tell you is this: to be an astronomer at all, you have to be first and foremost a physicist and mathematician. To be a theorist, you have to be exceptionally strong in mathematics and computing: observers can get away with slightly less expertise in mathematics. So, which strand is better for you depends on your particular interests and talents.

Me: Do the people who theorize do the main laboratory-type work?

PD: There is very little laboratory work as such in astrophysics. Observers observe, theorists theorize, which means that they do a lot of mathematics and computing.

Me: What education do I need to become an astronomer?

PD: The minimum job requirement these days is a PhD degree. To get that, you need to get first a B.Sc. degree (4 years), and possibly a M.Sc. (1-2 years); if you do well with those, you can get admitted to a PhD program. The length of time required to complete that varies -- it depends really on how much coursework is required, and how your research progresses. To get a PhD, you have to write a thesis of 100-300 pages, based on ORIGINAL research -- something that's never been done before by anybody. Typically, it takes about 4 years. So, in all, you'd be looking at 4 + 2 + 4 = 10 years of education after high school -- at least 8, and maybe 12, or even more. After that, it would be advisable to get some postdoctoral experience -- maybe 4 years -- and then, you can apply for a permanent job. As for high school, the best advice I can give you is to take as much mathematics, science (especially physics), and computing as you can!