Astronomy and a love of math don’t always go hand in hand. Professional astronomers need a strong background in math and physics (particularly calculus and algebra). In addition, there are very few jobs available, and competition is strong. If you’re not interested in math or find it difficult, you don’t have to give up on astronomy. Areas of work include:

• Planetariums
• Science museums
• Retail/sales
• Science writing/photography

A good place to start is to look at careers newspapers or websites to see what work is available and what is required of applicants. If you’re still at school, your careers adviser may be able to guide you in your career choices. If you actually enjoy math but struggle with it, your school may also be able to offer some extra help.

Some astronomy-related jobs, such as retail, may have few formal qualification requirements. Positions such as image processing in a planetarium may require qualifications in computing rather than astronomy (math content in computing courses can vary – if you’re interested, check with the relevant college or university).

Amateur astronomers have brought significant worth to the field, but their efforts are usually unpaid. However, being an amateur astronomer can be an asset to a résumé, especially when looking for astronomy-related work. If you go down this road, be prepared to answer questions about your passion. Be careful – exaggerating your expertise could backfire.

Planetariums, observatories and science museums are a good place to check for astronomy roles, and some allow people to volunteer to get a taste of the environment. Some roles may be educational such as a museum demonstrator or science educator. Planetariums, observatories and museums also need people to run them, people to undertake design roles and people to operate equipment.

Retail/sales also makes room for astronomy. There are specialist stores that sell astronomy equipment, and the people who sell it need to know their stuff – which equipment is best for the user’s needs and how it is set up. Some stores offer advice on how to view stellar objects, and may recommend astronomy publications to customers.

Astronomy also calls for writers to communicate developments with the public. Writing can be very rewarding but is also competitive, and in-house positions are hard to come by. Both Astronomy Magazine and Sky and Telescope are examples of astronomy publications that will accept article submissions and photographs from freelancers.

If you choose the writing or photography route, make sure you find out what’s already out there and read the guidelines for your chosen sites or magazines carefully. Writing for free is a topic much debated among writers – my view is that it can be a good way to start building a portfolio, providing you exercise some caution.

If you have the passion but your résumé looks a little blank, there are a few ways to boost it. As mentioned earlier, volunteering can offer a good taster to a new work environment, and it can also look good on a résumé. Consider joining astronomy clubs and/or societies, and see if your local planetarium or observatory has lectures or low-math courses you can attend.

Sources

Careers in Astronomy Brochure, American Astronomical Society website, accessed: 9th November 2008, no author specified.

FAQ: Being an Astronomer, National Optical Astronomy Observatories website, accessed: 15th November 2008, no author specified.