How to be a Space Scientist / Astronomer. Astronomy Career / Courses / Qualification / Job Opportunites / Institutes

Space Science

Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae, star clusters and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth (such as cosmic background radiation). It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the formation and development of the universe. One who chooses this career is counted in best brain category. Aryabhata, Bhaskara, Galileo, Newton, etc. are some of the greatest figures in this field.

Courses and qualifications
To make your career in Space Science you need to pass
your 12th exam with science and maths subjects. After this you will need a BSc degree, with  physics and mathematics as main subjects. After graduating you can choose astronomy theory or astronomy observation courses. After Master's degree admission in special courses can be taken. If after 12th you pursue BE in electrical / electronics/ electrical communication then you can opt for instrumental astronomy or experimental astronomy and make your career. You can do Phd in this feild as well. Only Masters and Phd program   as available with Indian Univ. in this field. Yes, one year Joint astronomy program at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore is available. At the end of the course you are also offered to persue PhD. TIFR, Mumbai and Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, two institutions where you can make a career as a researcher in Cosmology. At the beginning After 2-year Junior Research Fellowship you are selected for Senior Research Fellowship.

Personal Traits
Patterns of the planets and stars in the sky  and to study their movement is very time-consuming and complicated task. So patience is essential to the profession. Also you must be curious. Confidence and enthusiasm to explore answers to the mysterious questions is needed. Apart from scientific approach you should have programming skills as well.

Job Opportunities
After the course you can work as a Research Scientist in any Space Sciences Research Institute . You can also get job in prestigious institute of India The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). After research and PhD you can get more opportunities. Many government institutions also need  Astronomers where Scientists are hire at  various grades where they get other benefits apart from salaries.

Crab Nebula

Main Institutes
Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore
www.iiap.res.in
National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Pune
www.ncra.tifr.res.in
Punjab University, Patiala
www.punjabiuniversity.ac.in
Physics Research Lab, Ahmedabad
www.prl.res.in
Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam (Kerala)
www.mguniversity.edu
Osmania University, Hyderabad
www.osmania.ac.in
Lucknow University, Lucknow
www.lkouniv.ac.in
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad
www.bamu.net