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Astronomer
Studies celestial objects — stars, planets, galaxies — and the universe itself.
Did you know?
Astronomers estimate the universe holds 10,000 billion billion stars or more, and ESA likens counting them to counting grains of sand on a beach.
How subjects help
- Physics: Use the light from a distant star to work out how hot it is and how fast it is moving.
- Mathematics: Calculate the orbits of planets and moons and predict exactly when an eclipse will happen.
- Computer Science: Write code to sift through millions of telescope images and spot a new comet or exploding star.
- Chemistry: Split starlight into a rainbow of colours to find out which elements a star is made of.
A famous name
Galileo Galilei: Used his own telescope in 1610 to discover the four largest moons of Jupiter.
Try it yourself: Watch the Moon and model it
- For a week, draw the Moon each clear night at about the same time. How does its shape change?
- Model it: in a dark room, shine the torch (the Sun) at a ball (the Moon) held out in front of your face (Earth).
- Turn slowly on the spot, holding the ball out. Watch the lit part change, just like your drawings.
- Does your model explain what you saw? What can't it explain?
Astronomers and cosmologists compare careful observations with models, keeping the models only while they match what is really seen.
Also try: Design a base on Mars.
Known for it in
USA, UK, Chile, Australia, Germany