Leo.S
member
Reged: 09/21/09
Posts: 67
Loc: Toronto, Ontario
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Most people I've met or knew in this hobby were like with tons of experience and they are either retired or having a established job, not seeing alot of young people like college students(or me) hanging around in this area. I wonder is there a specific professional program in universities for astronomy and what's the potential job opportunity after graduate.
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aa5te
Genial Procrastinator
Reged: 08/30/08
Posts: 422
Loc: Clinton, TN
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You can search online for BS/MS/PhD level astronomy programs - there are quite a few out there, and a select few that offer online education in this area.
As for job opportunities, I don't think that the demand is very high for astronomers - there are facilities worldwide that employ a handful of people, but, once you break into the field, I think you can pretty much go anywhere you want. I had a coworker (particle accelerator operations) who had a double BS in Physics and Astrophysics. He started taking a MS degree program online from John Cook University in Australia, and he was maybe halfway finished and he landed a job at the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in New Mexico, but that wasn't really where he wanted to be. He wanted to be in Hawaii, so after about 2 years at the SDSS, he got a job at PANSTARRS, which is in Hawaii. He seems to like it a lot...
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Binos: Apogee 25x100 / Burgess Optical 25x100 / Pentax 20x60 PCF WP / Tasco InFocus 10x50
Tripods: Sunpak PlatinumPlus Ultra 7500TM / Quickset Samson
Refractors: Meade DS-2102AT-TC 102mm f/7.8; Sears Discoverer 3 (4454) 80mm f/15; Jason 313 Discoverer 60mm f/15.2
Reflectors (Dob): Hardin Optical DSH10 10" f/5
EP's: Zoom: Zhumell 8-24mm & Circle K 7.5-22.5mm 0.965"; 9-52mm Plössls; Zhumell 2x barlow
Kodak Z760; Orion SteadyPix camera mount
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bkruschwitz
member
Reged: 04/15/09
Posts: 38
Loc: Waco, TX
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You can search U.S. News and World Reports "Rankings" of colleges by Ph.D. programs in physics (string/M theory, etc.) and/or astronomy, and undergraduate programs by physics and astronomy.
Bob
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bsim
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 1051
Loc: New York City
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Quote:
not seeing alot of young people like college students(or me) hanging around in this area.
It's not just a problem in your area. Visit any local astronomy club. The percentage of young members is pretty small. I have a Sky and Telescope survey from 2005 which stated that the average age of readers was 51 and climbing. It also said that the percentage of younger readers was dropping. People dropping subscriptions cited the high cost of equipment and lack of time.
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94bamf
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/15/08
Posts: 705
Loc: Kansas City,Mo
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I am 32, and I can tell you I rarely see people my own age at the darksites. Most anybody I know or have spoken to that is interested in this hobby is atleast 15 years older than I am. It is really sad actually. Everybody is too busy watching reality tv or some other form of entertainment that doesn't require thinking or imagination..
Ken
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Telescopes:
Celestron C6 SCT on CG4 mount
Skywatcher 8 inch F/5 Newt on a GEM
Celestron 8 inch Starhopper Dob
Celestron Oynx 80ED
Celestron C130 Mak
Celestron C102HD
Binoculars:
Nikon 7x35 Action
Nikon 7x50 Action
Zen Ray Summit 10x42
Celestron 10x42 Noble
Orion 10x50 Scenix
Celestron 10x50 Noble
Pentax 12x50 PCF WP II
Celestron 15x70 Skymaster
Oberwerk 20x60
Zhumell 20x80
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ebusinesstutor
sage
Reged: 07/01/09
Posts: 459
Loc: Nanaimo, BC, Canada
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Maybe more of us need to get involved in outreach to reach younger people...
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Garland Coulson
Orion XT8i Dob & Celestron 80 ED on a Vixen Porta Mount Mini
Baader Hyperion 8-24mm Click Zoom & Siebert Observatory 36mm
Siebert Black Knight Binoviewers
SkyWatcher Observing Chair
Celestron Skymaster 15x70mm binos
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scopethis
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/30/08
Posts: 625
Loc: Kingman, Ks
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Thinking and imagination! You are so Correct. I really hate to bash any generation, mine was really labeled/from the 60's. It just appears that today's youth have an "if it don't happen instantly, I don't need it" attitude. Hmmmm-I sound like my parents.
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Dain
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/24/05
Posts: 1596
Loc: N.Y. Adirondack Mnts. NGC 4565...
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Well..I'm here..and I'm 34!
But you are right though, I don't observe wth anyone my age, everyone is older then I am. Most folks I know that are in this hobby are in their late 40's to mid 50's.
Now--if we can get a TV show to spark interest in astronomy like the old 1966 Star Trek did, we might have have alot of newcombers in this hobby.
Clear Skies to All!
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Best,
Dain
Adirondack Mountains (my true dark sky site)
@ Cedar River Flow
Local Site
Clear Skies?
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joec33
super member
Reged: 06/13/09
Posts: 111
Loc: Chester, N.Y
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Leo, I understand what your talking about. Unfortunatley, I grew up getting into all kinds of trouble, getting arrested, fights, dropped out of school and ended up in the military. Now that I'm out of the service astronomy seems to be the only thing that keeps me from going back to my old way of life. This hobby is a true life saver for me but when ever I tried to go to a starparty I had a hard time meeting anyone that was younger and not a PHD. After a while I relized that all that stuff doesn't matter and now I find it cool that I can hang out with a Dr or 65 year old and soak in the knowledge that they can share over a beer.
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An Over accessorized XT10i
80mm Meade Series 5000 Apo w/duelspeed focuser
Orion Starblast6
Set of Hyperions + 31mm Baader modular
2x, 3x T.V barlows
Lumicon UHC, OIII Filters
Meade DSI PRO II W/filters, CG-5GT Mount
Kendrick Dew System
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sailor70623
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/12/08
Posts: 939
Loc: Ok.
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I would only have one or two scopes except most of my observing now is when I am introducing kids to astronomy. They get a kick out of it, for about 5 minutes. I try real hard to get them in to it. I keep changing the way I introduce astronomy to them. They do all want to look through the BIG scopes. But they all expect to see much more than even a 16" scope can show. And most want to see something happening. Even the high school kids can't comprehend any numbers. Some think 1 million is less than 1 billion. Heck one thought 1 trillion was less than 1 million. They all want to see color, hubble like views, in motion. I call them Nintendo kids. If it isn't fast moving action, it's hard to get their attention. Now I have luck with a few. And to make sure their interest builds, I usually give them a telescope. BUT some of the parents wouldn't dream of letting their 16 yo be outside after dark, and they aren't going to miss any TV to view with their kids. SO I try and get the parents interested too. When I can get both a dad and son intereted, they tend to get out and view, and hopefully end up a member of the ameture astronomy group. But of the few that have shown some interest, I know 2 of them only get the scopes out 3 or 4 times a year. I know when I was a kid, I wanted a telescope SO BAD. Today, they just don't seem to care. I get more interest when I just show the constillations using a green laser. I've given about 12 scopes away this year. I have 2 boyscout groups, a girlscout group and 1, 4H group to put on star parties for yet this year. I ususally set up 10-12 scopes for the kids use, and let each one have as much EP time as they like. Except at the big scopes, where there is always a line waiting for another look. I have my niece and 2 of my grandkids help the groups find targets. 5 of the scopes are tracking scopes and are pre set up on different targets. We keep checking these to make sure they are still on target. It's not a tracking problem as much as it is that they get bumped several times a night. Have any of you ever had your kids or grand kids school class out for a night of observing? Try it with a small group first. It's a lot of work.
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Corornado PST
LB 16" & 12"
Z 10"
LX50 8"
8" CPC
ETX127
102&90mm MAKs
80mm Richfield APO
70mm refractor
ETX60
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Achernar
Postmaster
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 5024
Loc: Mobile, Alabama, USA
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I've seen a few amateur astronomers who are younger, but it's mostly guys in my age range and older. Women are also quite few and far between, astronomy seems to be more a guy thing. As for majoring in astronomy or getting advanced degrees in astronomy, to break into the field is quite difficult because even though very few people get those degrees, positions are even scarcer. However, astronomers also tend to be experts in computers, electronics and physics, which leads to opportunities elsewhere.
Taras
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15-inch F/4.5 Dob under construction
10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
A whole bunch of eyepieces, filters and other accessories....
Two curious cats
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sailor70623
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/12/08
Posts: 939
Loc: Ok.
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AND MATH. Many Astronomy programs today, never look through a telescope. They are all math, and theory.
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Corornado PST
LB 16" & 12"
Z 10"
LX50 8"
8" CPC
ETX127
102&90mm MAKs
80mm Richfield APO
70mm refractor
ETX60
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94bamf
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/15/08
Posts: 705
Loc: Kansas City,Mo
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On a very basic visual level, after you look at the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter, everything else you can view through a telescope is pretty boring. The thing that makes this hobby interesting is keeping the objects you view in context. While staring at a fuzzy blob for hours might not sound exciting, when you start thinking about how far away that fuzzy blob is, or how long ago it was when that light left that fuzzy blob, or what was life/conditions like on earth when that light left that fuzzy blob, etc. The very idea that these things are so far away, yet because of their massive size and brightness, are visible from earth is just amazing to me. Just thinking about the fact that the light from M31, traveling at ~186,000 miles per second, left that galaxy over 2 million years ago, yet that galaxy is larger in our sky than our own moon. How can anything be that big? How can anything be that far away?
As I said before, it requires some thinking, knowledge, and some imagination. It seems to me that much of the younger generation has little desire to attain knowledge, who needs it, anything you need to know is only a few clicks away on google.. Who needs imagination, you can play a video game that shows you everything. Who needs to read a book, you can watch the movie. Why learn to play a musical instrument, you can just buy guitar hero, and pretend to play, no effort required other than some basic hand eye cordination, etc, etc..
It is pathetic, and it is getting worse..
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Telescopes:
Celestron C6 SCT on CG4 mount
Skywatcher 8 inch F/5 Newt on a GEM
Celestron 8 inch Starhopper Dob
Celestron Oynx 80ED
Celestron C130 Mak
Celestron C102HD
Binoculars:
Nikon 7x35 Action
Nikon 7x50 Action
Zen Ray Summit 10x42
Celestron 10x42 Noble
Orion 10x50 Scenix
Celestron 10x50 Noble
Pentax 12x50 PCF WP II
Celestron 15x70 Skymaster
Oberwerk 20x60
Zhumell 20x80
Edited by 94bamf (10/28/09 12:46 AM)
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Tank
super member
Reged: 07/27/09
Posts: 139
Loc: Ontario, CANADA
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Im 32 and i love the hobby,
Im the type of individual that loves to soak up everything that life has too offer! I always wanted to learn about the sky a bit more!
-Im a Architect, jack of all trades built a house with parents from the ground up.
-Really into sports play ball hockey in OBHL year round every year, played soccer forever as well.
-Love my cars also have 91 Camaro Z-28 summer ride in the garage that i work on once in a while.
-Follow all the major sports
-Love electronics, built a 50 RMS watt AMP from scratch including etching the circuit board!
- Oh yeah even love my video games PS3,Game cube RPG's
- love metal/rap music/classical, played the clarinet
-Been to NY city, and out East Canada PEI, Nova Scotia
-Love camping
-Love my wife as well!
I seem to have very little time with all these time consuming things but i sneek in a bit of time for astronomy!
To get people intrested in the hobby I think the best you can do is just introduce them to it! If you force feed them they will be turned off! I do find that most people my age and younger tend to have a real breif intrest in the hobby!
I havn't gone out yet to a star party but i hear good things about them, maybe i will meet some people that share the same intrests, age dosen't really matter! I find this site fantastic source of info. and there are some great people in these forums!!! 
I always wanted to get into the hobby thats why i eventually did and im very glad i did!
I cant tell you the reaction i recieved when i showed a few uncles and aunts (that new nothing about astronomy) when i showed them the moon with my telescope it was priceless!
They all of a sudden turned into a bunch of kids with excitement in there eye's all in amazement!
I thought to myself this is what life's all about good times and good experiences and astronomy will gave us this moment that them and me will never forget!
good times!
sorry for ramblin!
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8" Skywatcher DOB F5.9 1200mm
Antares barlow x3
TV Plossls 10.5mm,20mm,26mm,32mm
8.8mm meade 4000 UWA
12mm Nagler T4
35mm TV Panoptic
40mm Meade 3000
Baader Hyperion ZOOM 8-24mm
SPACE A PORTRAIT OF PERFECTION!
Tony
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TenthEnemy
sage
Reged: 01/21/08
Posts: 428
Loc: Maryland
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I'm a 20 year old college student who grew up playing Nintendo, and still enjoys playing video games. I also enjoy sketching at the eyepiece and pondering the vast distances and sizes of the small, faint smudges that I observe. Must one activity conflict with the other? 
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Orion XT10
70mm refractor
12x50 binoculars
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Hrundi
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/08
Posts: 1230
Loc: Estonia
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The hobby doesn't really get a lot of PR outside astrocircles. I know I had no idea one could actually get a decent non-toy telescope until I decided to research it myself.
And all the people I know that do this stuff are youngish. Helps to only know two other astropeople though 
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ggarrison
super member
Reged: 07/22/09
Posts: 158
Loc: Austin, TX USA
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Quote:
I'm a 20 year old college student who grew up playing Nintendo, and still enjoys playing video games. I also enjoy sketching at the eyepiece and pondering the vast distances and sizes of the small, faint smudges that I observe. Must one activity conflict with the other?
Us old codgers are glad to have you!
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Gordon
Celestron Nexstar 8SE with XLT coating - Baader Planetarium Hyperion 8mm-24mm Clickstop Zoom eyepiece
Celestron Skymaster 20x80 Binoculars
Smart Seat II Observing Chair
all in the hands of a total neophite 
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Register at ScopeBuddies.com to find local astronomy buddies! 
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Adrian Lopez
sage
Reged: 10/22/08
Posts: 267
Loc: Puerto Rico
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Possible factors:
1. Today's generation is spoiled by the abundance of very detailed images from Hubble and robotic spacecraft. People who expect Hubble-quality images tend to become disappointed and lose interest.
2. Light pollution and the loss of rural locations to the sprawling cities is making it more difficult to comfortably observe the multitude of objects that might otherwise keep people engaged for a lifetime. Nebulae can look pretty cool in reasonably dark skies, but not so much in light polluted cities. Saturn, the Moon and Jupiter aren't enough to keep some people interested.
3. There's a general lack of popular interest in space: Star Trek is off the air; Star Wars was better the first time around; Halley's Comet is gone won't be back for over half a century; and the modern space program largely feels like a dull routine.
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Celestron Omni XLT 120 (f/8.3) Refractor
William Optics 1.25" Dielectric Diagonal
Celestron 4, 6, 9, 15, 25, and 32mm EPs
Nikon Action Extreme 8x40 Binoculars
Canon Digital Rebel XT
RA Sweep Calculator (find objects without GoTo)
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Hrundi
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/08
Posts: 1230
Loc: Estonia
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I'd like to know though, have astronomy clubs ever been full of young people?
As for the declining readership of magazines, they're generally considered a dying medium. The internet is everywhere these days, and offers pretty much anything one could ask for on the subject.
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Jimmy2K63
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/09
Posts: 1184
Loc: Kentucky
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Quote:
Well..I'm here..and I'm 34!
But you are right though, I don't observe wth anyone my age, everyone is older then I am. Most folks I know that are in this hobby are in their late 40's to mid 50's.
Now--if we can get a TV show to spark interest in astronomy like the old 1966 Star Trek did, we might have have alot of newcombers in this hobby.
Clear Skies to All!
Too bad PBS doesn't put on a series on their Create network about amateur astronomy.....a how to series.
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http://astronomyguy63.blogspot.com/
LXD75 SN6-UHTC
Cave Astrola 10" f/5
Garrett 15x70/FarSight
Canon XS (1000D)
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