Careers in Science
Astronomer
The Branch of Science
The branch of science of which the occupation of Astronomy is in, is in one of the three main branches of science which are Natural, Earth, and Life Science. Astronomy is the branch of Natural Science. Natural Science is the branch that seeks to illustrate the rules that govern the natural world by applying empirical scientific methods to the study of the universe.
Education Path
In order for someone, such as myself, to even be able to apply for such a job as extraordinary as this one must have to go through many years of college and get a minimum of Professional/Doctoral degree. If one majored in this special occupation they would learn about many things such as the stars, planets, and galaxies. They would also have to predict cosmic phenomena to explain the evolution of Earth. He or She would study to determine the age and origin of the universe. Their studying may also include galaxies, dwarf to giant stars, star bursts to quasars, and also including, yes, Einsteins theory of relativity. The Electromagnetic Spectrum is another item that you may have to study. One will also work on theoretical computation research projects and crunching numbers plus data analysis, a lot. To begin the journey to becoming a Astronomer one must take in High School four years of English, three years of Math, three years of Social Studies, two years of Science, and some require two years of a special language.
Courses in High School
Some courses one will have to take in High School would be,
- Advanced Computer Math Courses
- Advanced Geometry Courses
- Advanced Physics Courses
- Astronomy
- Calculus
- Chemistry
- Computer Science and Programming
- General Computer Applications
- Physical Science
- Technical Writing
- Physics
- Astrophysics
- Astronomy
Undergraduate Classes
These are undergraduate classes I will have to take in college,
- Calculus
- Classical Methods
- Differential Equations
- Electricity and Magnetism
- English Composition
- General Chemistry
- Independent Research
- Instrumental Methods
- Introductory Astrophysics
- Modern Experimental Physics
- Modern Physics
- Optics and Wave Phenomena
- Quantum and Atomic Physics
- Scientific Computer Programming
- Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
- Vector Analysis
- Advanced Mechanics
- Advanced Theory of Electricity and Magnetism
- Atmospheric Physics
- Galactic Astrophysics
- Quantum Mechanics
- Stellar Astrophysics
Training Schools and College
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a great place to go to college if one wants to become an astronomer. This is a great college because it is very close to home and is ranked 41 out who knows how many schools. The In-State tuition is also very cheap compared to many other colleges around the World/Nation. The college is a public school, it is a University, four year college plus, the student to faculty ratio is 17:1, and there are about 29 people per class. In order to get into this school one must have a GPA of 3.69 and an ACT of 24-27.
About the Job
Astronomers study outer space to find scientific answers to questions about the universe. They observe through items such as the telescope and spectroscopes. They may also study subjects on the Electromagnetic Spectrum such as X-Rays and Cosmic Rays. They will use math and physics to form theories, then they will conduct research and present findings in Scientific reports. Others design astronomical instruments or do consulting work. They usually work an average of 30-40 hours per week.
Factors, Salary, and Employment
They do not have astronomy jobs in Wisconsin, but Nationally wise the entry level salary is 48,710 dollars and the experienced is 155,480 dollars. They may have teaching jobs for astronomy, so it is very hard to find a job in Wisconsin compared to Nationally wise. The Space and Research employer in Wisconsin is none vs. many Nationally.
Summary
If I stay on the right path I could see myself doing this job, I mean I could explore the universe, but their may be a lot of travel and a big space between myself and home. Also it can many night time hours away from myself. So overall I will probably find a better job that suites me later in life.
Resources
"Astronomy." WISCareers. WISCareers, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2013.
<http://wiscareers.wisc.edu/C_CVstuff/
occinfo.asp?Area=sal&Num=00148&state=WI>."
"University of Wisconsin-Madison." Education Colleges. U.S. News, n.d. Web. 13
Sept. 2013. <http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/
university-of-wisconsin-madison-3895>. "