Though   known generally as  the  oldest  science  in   the world, the path  of 
ASTRONOMY is still no less strewn with a chance discovery or a' life-changing 
forecast.

If the sky and beyond is the limit, a career in astronomy is a  possibility  you
may want to think over. As the oldest science in the world, astronomy  calls
for the need to observe and study objects light years away from  our  earth.
It is a fascinating science that involves studying astronomical objects of the
nature that defies imagination. But, in reality the very study is a vast as the 
universe,  as  new  discoveries  and  phenomenal  theories  are  propounded
everyday  with  amplified   access  to  information  from  artificial  satellite's. 
It is  a fact that humans have had an incurable curiosity about  the  cosmos 
since  time immemorial. In the modern  era,  this  curiosity  has  precipitated 
some of the most exceptional discoveries about the universe. Astronomy, as   
a discipline has its roots as early as 200 B.C. In fact, the ancient visionaries  
laid the cornerstone for research with the concept that the heavenly bodies
go through regular cycles of motion. Present  day  astronomers, armed  with    
information and technology do the same. They  observe  the  locations  and  
motion of heavenly bodies. However,  they  are  inter  seek  answer  to  the 
more complex questions regarding the universe  that  need  more  than  just
idle conjecture. If you want to delve into a deeper branch of study,consider  
astrophysics. It involves  studying  the  chemical  composition  of  heavenly
bodies and understanding  the  physics processes that occur in outer space.  
If   your  vocational interest   lies  in  astronomy  or  astrophysics,  you can      
definitely find our own place among the many professionals already engaged
in it. Astronomy is a viable option even if you don't particularly want to take
it up as a full-time career. All being  a passion;  you can still  be an smsteur
astronomer and make good your ambition.

"An astronomer's j ob  entails  research  work,  working for   senior  on 
their projects, begin a part  of  a  worldwide  network  of  astronomers 
and   ongoing   observation    projects."   Amateur  societies    popularise  
astronomy as a hobby.  They  also   attempt  to  pull  together   concurring 
astronomers  to foster observation  and  exploration in  the  field.  In  India, 
there is tremendous opportunity for aspiring astronomers  &  astrophysicists.
Astronomers  are classified into select  groups  depending  on their areas  of
specialisation : Observational astronomers specialise in surveying objects  in
outer space with   the  help  of  telescopes.  Steller  astronomers  are   the 
stargazers- they  study stars in their entirety. Solar astronomers  study the
sun  & planetary astronomers, the planets & their environment.  Theoretical  
astronomers are those who apply the principles Of  physics  &  mathematics,   
to understand thenature of the universe,  Ther;s   another  very   intersting  
domain in the world of astronomy called cosmology.  Cosmologist  study  the 
history & the structure of the  universe  as a  whole.  Both   astronomy  and
astrophysics are grounded in mathematics & physics.  Any  aspiring  student 
should do as many courses as possible, in  either of these subjects. In india,
very few universities  offer any  undergraduate  courses.  Many  universities
offer a degree in astronomy at an MSc level, and some have a specialisation  
in t heoretical  astronomy. A  professional  astronmers  also   takes  courses
in microelectronics & instrumentation at some point in one's education.