From the March 2007 issue

What kind of education does a person need to become an astronomer?

Kim Lewis, Newbury Park, California
By | Published: March 1, 2007 | Last updated on May 18, 2023

The most important thing is to get a firm foundation in basic science and math. This means taking high-school physics and chemistry courses. In college, take classes at as high a level as you can handle, and fit in all the math you can. The typical astronomy student won’t take specialized courses, like stellar evolution or cosmology, until he or she finishes building this basic foundation.