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Astronomers

$128.33K Median Salary 200 Job Openings (Annual Projection) 4.8% Job Growth

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About This Career

Observe, research, and interpret astronomical phenomena to increase basic knowledge or apply such information to practical problems.

Reported Job Titles

Astronomer, Astrophysicist, Data Scientist, Research Scientist, Scientist

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

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Abilities

Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning

Mathematical Reasoning

Oral Expression

Information Ordering

Near Vision

Number Facility

Oral Comprehension

Written Comprehension

Written Expression

Flexibility of Closure

Speech Clarity

Far Vision

Originality

Problem Sensitivity

Selective Attention

Fluency of Ideas

Speech Recognition

Category Flexibility

Perceptual Speed

Visualization

Knowledge

Mathematics

Physics

Computers and Electronics

English Language

Engineering and Technology

Education and Training

Chemistry

Skills

Reading Comprehension

Science

Critical Thinking

Active Learning

Active Listening

Mathematics

Writing

Speaking

Judgment and Decision Making

Learning Strategies

Monitoring

Complex Problem Solving

Coordination

Instructing

Management of Personnel Resources

Service Orientation

Social Perceptiveness

Time Management

Persuasion

Systems Analysis

Systems Evaluation

Technology Skills

Analytical or scientific software

Presentation software

Development environment software

Object or component oriented development software

Graphics or photo imaging software

Data base user interface and query software

Spreadsheet software

Office suite software

Operating system software

Word processing software

Data base management system software

Internet browser software

Tools

Telescopes

Spectrometers

Radarbased surveillance systems

Spectrographs

Calorimeters

Laboratory mills

Photometer

Polarizers

Notebook computers

Laboratory evaporators

Radio frequency transmitters or receivers

Digital cameras

X ray diffraction equipment

Ionization chambers

Interferometers

Atomic absorption AA spectrometers

Digital readout recorders

Binoculars

Infrared spectrometers

Scientific calculator

Cryostats

Radio antennas

Desktop computers

Personal computers

Abilities

Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Mathematical Reasoning: The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Number Facility: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Knowledge

Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Physics: Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Engineering and Technology: Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Chemistry: Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Skills

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Technology Skills

Analytical or scientific software: Statistical analysis software; TapRooT
Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Development environment software: Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java
Graphics or photo imaging software: SmugMug Flickr
Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software
Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Data base management system software: Apache Solr; Elasticsearch; MySQL
Internet browser software: Web browser software

Tools

Telescopes: Spotting scopes
Spectrometers: Spectroscopes
Radarbased surveillance systems: Radar navigation systems
Spectrographs: Hyperspectral imaging equipment
Calorimeters:
Laboratory mills: Grinder mills
Photometer: Aerosol photometers
Polarizers:
Notebook computers: Laptop computers
Laboratory evaporators: Thermal evaporators
Radio frequency transmitters or receivers: Animal transmitters; Radio telemetry equipment
Digital cameras:
X ray diffraction equipment: X ray diffractometers
Ionization chambers:
Interferometers: Holographic interferometers
Atomic absorption AA spectrometers: Neutron spectrometers
Digital readout recorders: Digital readouts
Binoculars:
Infrared spectrometers: Near infrared spectrometers
Scientific calculator: Digital calculators
Cryostats:
Radio antennas:
Desktop computers:
Personal computers:

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