Career in Astronomy in India Eligibility role and Salary

This branch of science pertains to the motion of celestial objects, evolution, meteorology, and the activities that led to the formation and development of the universe. This field has a vast variety of disciplines including astrometry, observational astronomy, celestial navigation, and astrology. But these days, astronomy is often paralleled with astrophysics. It fundamentally studies celestial objects we see every day, including Sun, Moon, the twinkling stars and other astronomical objects in space. The celestial bodies that are not visible with the bare eye and can only be seen with instruments like telescopes which are also an important part of different areas of astronomy.

Undergraduate Courses for a Career in Astronomy

• Bachelor of Science in Astronomy
• Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences – Astronomy
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Astrophysics [Specialization]
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Physics with Astronomy
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics
• Bachelor of Science in Planetary Science and Astronomy

Postgraduate Courses for a Career in Astronomy

• Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Astronomy
• Master of Science in Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Master of Science Cosmology
• Master of Science in Space Studies
• Master of Arts in Astronomy
• Master of Science Astrophysics
• Master of Philosophy in Astronomy
• Master of Physics – Coursework and Dissertation – Astronomy and Astrophysics

Doctorate Courses for a Career in Astronomy

• Doctor of Philosophy – Astronomy
• Doctor of Philosophy in Physics and Astronomy
• Doctor of Philosophy in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences – Space and Planetary Science
• Doctor of Philosophy in Physics – Astronomy, Astrophysics, Astroparticles, and Gravitation
• Doctor of Philosophy in Astronomy Research
• Doctor of Philosophy in Astrophysics
• Doctor of Philosophy in Earth and Planetary Science

Astronomy Careers

1. Radio Astronomers: It is one of the most prominent astronomy careers. If you are enchanted by extraterrestrial entities, this can be your future choice. Radio astronomers are specialists who are well-versed in operating radio telescopes, which are big receivers used to pick up powerful radio waves. Job responsibilities of radio astronomers include the detection of radio discharges happening naturally in a galaxy, stars, and various other types of celestial bodies. They employ huge radio telescopes, intended to study very far-off located celestial matters. With innovations on the rise, radio astronomers are using various technologies to separate radio signals from unwanted noise.
2. Solar and Stellar Astronomers: Although solar and stellar astronomers are allied with each other and work collaboratively, their responsibilities and job requirements are starkly different. Solar astronomers focus on learning more and more about the earth’s sun, and their research forays are centred on understanding the whole composition of the sun, flares, solar eclipse and other kinds of related phenomena. Stellar astronomers, on the other hand, primarily focus their studies on the suns of different solar systems. Stellar astronomers also try to identify the composition of suns in other solar systems and draw conclusions from them.
3. Cosmologists: Cosmologists are those astronomers who constantly deal with the theoretical aspects of the astronomical world. They are immersed in learning the genesis of the universe by its relentless examination, and also try to understand the whole process of evolution. They work on different theories and attempt to ascertain the possible dimensions of this huge universe and find the closest appropriation of the existence of the universe and its functioning. Cosmologists look at the big picture, investigate and try to predict the upcoming eventualities and simultaneously try to decipher the past. Cosmologists do not make their own theories rather albeit they base their work on the previously gathered data.
4. Meteorologist: One of the most frequently opted for astronomy careers is that of becoming a meteorologist. They examine the Earth’s atmosphere to be able to anticipate future weather conditions and global climate. As students of astronomy, they master the skills to effectively apply various mathematical formulas to be able to produce their findings. The key responsibilities of a meteorologist involve collecting, analysing and consequently making an interpretation of the data collected through satellites and a whole array of instruments available. The purpose of their endeavours is to make their results available to governments, broadcasting agencies and thereby the citizens who need these findings as it affects various decisions.
5. Climatologist: Climatology is one of the major astronomy careers that is being increasingly chosen. One of the crucial responsibilities of a climatologist includes determining the weather conditions in different regions over an extended period of time. They provide solutions and also try to learn different reasons that have made an impact on weather patterns over several years. The study is usually based on a period of 3 decades to be accurate and reliable. They are required to take samples of soil from different areas to conduct their research. Subsequently, they analyse all their collected information to be presented in a research form that benefits society at large.

Top Recruiters

• Indian Institute of Astrophysics
• National Space Science Center
• The National Centre for Radio Astrophysics
• Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (NCRA-TIFR), Pune

Salary

1. The average salary of an astronomer in India is around INR 11,00,000. Some astronomers also benefit from bonuses that go to an average of INR 50,813.
2. Salary estimates based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in India.