The Profession of Astronomy and Space Sciences

Astronomy is learned during the last years of university but it often takes more than 5
years of study to become an astronomer. It is even insufficient because astronomy is so vast that
you have to choose a specialty (astrophysics, cosmology, optics, radio astronomy, etc.).
Sometimes some students only start working at the age of 25 or 28, having spent most of their
youth studying.

Your diploma in your pocket you will be able to work but you will still have to present
the result of researches to become a “doctor” in science and to work in an observatory or to teach
the students.

If you like teaching you can become a lecturer or teacher and teach most of your time.
Most astronomers also have another degree (engineering, aggregation, journalism, etc.) or
contacts with companies because sometimes there is no place in observatories or research
laboratories. This allows them to continue working while waiting to make a day of astronomy.

For the astronaut the course is sometimes different and a training of military pilot is
sometimes sufficient if for example you only want to become pilot or engineer on board the
international space station (ISS) or the future shuttles. But in any case all astronauts are
engineers, they have a university degree in science or technology. Some, like F. Story Musgrave
even has seven university degrees and not least.