astronomer

American  

[uh-stron-uh-mer] / əˈstrɒn ə mər /

noun

• astronomers
  plural

1. an expert in astronomy; a scientific observer of the celestial bodies.

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astronomer British  

/ əˈstrɒnəmə /

noun

1. a scientist who studies astronomy

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• astronomers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of astronomer

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; see origin at astronomy, -er ¹

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Explanation

A scientist who studies the objects in the sky, including planets, galaxies, black holes, and stars, is called an astronomer. These days, the terms astronomer and astrophysicist are used interchangeably, to talk about any physicist who specializes in celestial bodies and the forces that affect them. Astronomers use telescopes and cameras to observe the stars and other objects in the sky, and they often use complicated math to make predictions and solve puzzles about their movements and locations. The Greek root, astronomia, literally means "star arrangement."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

astronomer astronomers

The newly confirmed site was first noticed by an amateur astronomer who was planning a camping trip in Quebec.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

While Amazon has 392 satellites in space, according to data from astronomer Jonathan McDowell, only 315 are in the proper operational orbit.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

Among the higher-profile entries are “Pete Townshend: Behind Blue Eyes,” a portrait of the Who guitarist and songwriter, and Nanette Burstein’s “Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff,” about the astronomer and science communicator.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

“When you have that level of anxiety over the clouds, it juices the experience,” Elliot Borgman, a 77-year-old retired astronomer from Lansdowne, Penn., told me over breakfast the morning after August’s eclipse.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

Upon his return there was now enough information for the French astronomer Joseph Lalande to calculate that the mean distance from the Earth to the Sun was a little over 150 million kilometers.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Making more efficient use of such an expensive facility could provide substantial benefits to astronomers and the wider scientific community, potentially allowing more important discoveries to be made with the available observing time.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

Stargazers and astronomers are preparing to enjoy a festival that celebrates the beauty of the night sky.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Beyond revealing something fundamental about black hole physics, the discovery could help astronomers make much better use of powerful radio telescopes.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

By searching for these signatures, astronomers can locate galaxy clusters that might otherwise be difficult to detect.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

They were master astronomers and timekeepers, which meant that they had to use advanced math, thanks to the wandering nature of the calendar.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

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Related Words

• astrophysicist
• cosmologist

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