United States of Dim-wits.

Astronomer.

Walking outside I was trying to think of the people that I think make the most important contributions to this world.

Astronomers are I think the most important.

United States astronauts are in second place. But only because they are the instruments that potentially make astronomy such an important field, in my view.

The United States astronauts aren't really explorers. They are subjects that scientists are using to learn how to adapt to space travel.

Astronauts aren't actually doing any exploration beyond the space beyond low-Earth orbit.

Astronomers are the ones who are discovering the places that astronauts might go to someday in the distant, very distant, future.

Any of you people out there can right this very moment go outside and LOOK AROUND.

Look around and think about what you see.

You see just a bunch of monkeys - 7 billion of them - who call themselves humans.

They aren't doing anything important.

NONE OF THEM.

Life on this planet is pointless and pathetic and meaningless.

All those parasites are doing nothing significant except spewing out constantly their poisonous pollution.

Mindlessly they are every day after day spewing out their pollution AND THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES of their actions.

The only people I can think of that are doing anything important are astronomers.

They are discovering the Universe.

A universe those same 7 billion human-monkeys are completely IGNORANT and superstitious about.

Learning about the nature of existence beyond this planet is HARD and those 7 billion human-monkeys are too busy zipping around spewing pollution and driving while distracted on their stupid smartphones and gabbing away about their ridiculous and pathetic lives.

The people who are shrilly crying out about climate change I can imagine them idling at a stop light in their gas guzzler and typing out their dim-witted posts about "Like, climate change, like, I think that's bad, like".

There's no intelligent life outside.










https://www.environmentalscience.org/career/astronomer

Environmental Science


What is an Astronomer?

Astronomers study the universe and the objects within it. For example, they may study planets, stars, galaxies, asteroids, black holes, and other celestial bodies. They use radio and optical telescopes on earth, as well as space-based telescopes and other tools to make observations and collect data. Astronomers use data on the movements, compositions, and other properties of space objects and phenomena. Some focus on nearby objects in our own solar system, such as planets, the sun, comets, and asteroids. Others may specialize in studying other stars, galaxies, black holes, or pulsars.

Astronomers increase our understanding of the universe, and our place in it. Photos of Earth and the “Pale Blue Dot” of our solar system taken from space convey the fragility and isolation of our planet, and the importance of sustainability. Space missions have spurred technological innovations including global positioning systems (GPS), advances in weather forecasting, solar energy, and even cancer treatments that benefit many of us here on earth. Astronomers warn us of solar storms that may affect power grids, and some monitor space debris to prevent damage to satellites.

What Do Astronomers Do?

While there are different branches of astronomy, most astronomers participate in similar activities. For example, they plan observational programs, use telescopes and other instruments to study space objects and phenomena, develop and test scientific theories, perform complex mathematical calculations to analyze data, use or develop software to analyze and model data, write proposals and apply for research grants, write papers for publication in scholarly journals, and present research findings at conferences. They may also design new observational equipment.

Astronomers may specialize in one of several sub-disciplines:

Planetary astronomers focus on the life cycles of planets, and the discovery of new planets near other stars.

Stellar astronomers study the life cycles of stars, and stellar phenomena such as black holes, nebulae (from which stars are born), white dwarfs, supernovas, and pulsars.

Solar astronomers study the sun's systems and characteristics, such as its atmospheres, magnetic field, and storms. They may also research new methods of studying the sun.

Galactic astronomers study the Milky Way galaxy, the galaxy in which we live.

Cosmologists study the origin, history, and potential futures of the entire universe. Cosmology is an active field of study with several important theories under development, including string theory, dark matter and energy, and multiverses.

Astronomers may also specialize in particular methods of observation and study, such as radio astronomy or optical astronomy. Theoretical astronomers analyze data collected by others to create new theories or discover new objects.

Where Does an Astronomer Work?

Most professional astronomers are professors or research staff at universities and colleges. Many are embedded in physics departments, rather than separate astronomy departments, and may teach physics as well as astronomy. Faculty members are primarily tasked with teaching, and may conduct research as their class schedule permits.

National Observatories and Government Labs

About a third of professional astronomers are directly employed by the federal government or government-supported observatories and labs. Astronomers in these positions focus on the research needs of their employer, and have less leeway for personal research than those in academia. While national observatories encourage personal research, they also require astronomers to work on instrument design and operation. These are civil service jobs with excellent potential for job security.


What Is the Job Demand for Astronomers?

Jobs for physicists and astronomers are expected to grow at a rate of 10%, adding 2,400 jobs by 2022. This is as fast as average job growth across all occupations. However, astronomy itself is a fairly small field, with only 150 job openings per year in North America; competition for positions is strong. Astronomers may work in postdoctoral positions for three to six years before finding steady, long-term positions.


Getting an Astronomy Degree

Most astronomers have a Ph.D. in astronomy or physics. Doctorates in these fields are required for faculty and research positions. In some cases, doctorates in certain areas of engineering are adequate. Ph.D. candidates should have a solid grounding in physics, as well as calculus, statistics, and other types of mathematics. Computer skills are also essential for analyzing and modeling data.

Newly minted Doctors of Astronomy start out in postdoctoral research positions at colleges and universities. These positions last for one to three years and focus entirely on research. Doctorates are also required for positions in the federal government. While a Ph.D. is advantageous for industrial positions, they are generally not required.





https://www.google.com/search?as_q=astronomy+jobs&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=

Google astronomer jobs


How many years does it take to become an astronomer?

A typical path (for the US) is: 4 years for your bachelor's degree in Science (usually in Physics or Astronomy); 2 years to get your Master's degree in Science; 3 years to complete your PhD program.



- posted by Kerry Burgess 2:24 PM Pacific Time Spokane Valley Washington USA Friday 15 June 2018