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What Skills Are Required to Pursue a Career in Astronomy?

-- Samuel | January 8, 2022

Question:

Hello Jeff, my name is Sam, and I’ve been interested in Astronomy for quite some time now. Since I plan to study in fields like cosmology and planetary science, could you recommend some basic skills necessary to be an Astronomer? For example, coding/programming skills (?), analytical skills, physics, etc. Thank you very much!

-- Samuel

Answer:

Most astronomers are trained as physicists, so a good background in physics and math are very helpful. Programming skills are essential as all of the tools that astronomers use involve computers and computing. For more information on pursuing a career in astronomy, use the search function in this blog to search the term “career” to view previous answers to questions about a career in astronomy.

-- Jeff Mangum

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