What Do Astronomers Study

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Life as an Astronomer

1. What do Astronomers Study?

Planets

Solar System

Stars

“Star Stuff” (Interstellar Medium)

Galaxies

AGN/Quasars

Clusters

Universe

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Life as an Astronomer:

What do Astronomers Study?

Solar System

Sun

Solar Wind

Planets

Moons

Asteroids/NEOs

Kuiper belt objects

Interplanetary dust

etc….

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Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study?

Stars

Variable stars

Binary systems

Dwarfs, Giants, etc

Supernovae,

Compact Objects (black holes, white dwarfs, neutron stars)

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Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study?

“Star Stuff” (Interstellar Medium)

Star formation & Protostars

Chemistry

Structure, Phase, and evolution

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Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study?

Galaxies

Formation & Evolution

Structure

Populations

Dynamics

Environment (voids, field, groups, clusters)

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Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study?

AGN (Active Galactic Nuclei) & Quasars

Formation

Classification

Fueling

Evolution

Number Density

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Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study?

Clusters

Formation & Evolution

Structure

Dark Matter Content

Lensing

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Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study?

The Universe

Age and Size

Formation & Evolution

Content (dark matter, cosmic strings, exotic particles)

Topology (shape)

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Life as an Astronomer: 2. How do we Work?

Observations

ground based (optical, near infrared, radio)

Space based (rockets & space platforms; UV, x-ray)

Computers

analyze data

solve complex problems

numerical simulations

Analysis

objectivity

read & assimilate many forms of data

linear & non-linear thinking

Writing

research papers

proposals

presentations

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