Mason Seifert

Sept. 14
Hour 2
Career Research Paper
Astronomy is the study of the universe through advanced mathematics and physics.
Astronomers study the stars, planets, meteors, and comets to understand the evolution and origin
of the ever-expanding universe. The reason why I want to be an astronomer is because I always
find myself looking up at the stars and wondering if we are alone in the universe. Astronomy is
the field that I would never find boring for me.
Astronomy is actually divided into two areas: astronomy and astrophysics. Astronomers,
also known as observational astronomers, use instruments such as radio and optical telescopes to
help them with their research and test their hypotheses. Astrophysicists, also known as
theoretical astronomers, like to use advanced physics and mathematics to test their theories about
how matter and energy in the universe react to one another. A lot of the work carried out by
astronomers and astrophysicists help other people in different fields. One such field is
meteorology, and with their combined research they can predict weather patterns due to solar
activity.
Many astronomers take on research positions in observatories, universities, and other
institutions. The working conditions of astronomers are mostly spent on computers. A lot of their
time isnt spent on stargazing, but more on analyzing data and writing research papers. The job
can be very stressful, especially when you are a professor for a university and you also hold a
research position at another institution. Many of your hours are spent preparing for your classes
and meeting one-on-one with your students during your office hours to discuss class

assignments. The working hours are normally around 9am-5pm every day, and extra hours
working with telescopes. You usually spend about 10-30 days a year working with telescopes,
and the other 90% of your time is spent on computers analyzing your data. The earnings for
astronomers are different based on education and experience, but the median annual salary
earnings are about $105,000. Astronomers working for a university generally earn a salary from
anywhere between $43,000 to $103,000, and astronomers working for government institutions
earn an average salary of $131,000. But of course, these salaries all depend on how long you go
to college and what type of experience you have.
The types of education requirements for high school students are taking many courses in
mathematics and science. Taking computer science and social science courses are also a very
good idea. Generally, a PhD in physics or astronomy is required for most job positions in this
field, which means that youll have to study for 9 to 10 years in college. You can, however,
obtain only a bachelors or masters degree in science or astronomy if you wish to work for a
private company or in a museum. Other suggested qualifications include joining astronomy clubs
in high school, having the ability to speak in front of audiences about your research, and also
being able to work independently and in groups with other people to conduct research.
There are many different organizations out there that focus on studying astronomy. Many
of the organizations are universities or other government-related institutions. One such institution
is NASA, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations. But to obtain a position here
you must have a vast amount of knowledge and experience in your field, and you must be widely
known for your research from different newspaper articles.

Employment in astronomy can be found anywhere in North American colleges. The

outlook of this field will slightly increase in the future as more people become interested in
studying this field and as technology advances. The field has changed from being more
individual research to group research over the years because of budgets given from the
government, so therefore you must be willing to share data and research with other people to
obtain information for your individual theories. How you can get a job in this field is by having a
PhD in astronomy or physics and applying to different universities. There are not a lot of
promotions in this field, but in order to get one you have to put the effort into it before you can
obtain it. As Christine said, having to meet deadlines is probably the most stressful thing in this
field because you have many other teaching responsibilities to take care of. Related job
occupations include being an astronaut, computer programmer, physicist, professor, and
geologist.
Learning about astronomy is very interesting because youll never be bored with what
youre working on. Youll be learning new things every day and youll never be tired with that.
Having a job in astronomy is definitely a large goal of mine, but I cant forget my other hobbies
that I might consider as a career in my future.