Astronomer in 1950: The invisible universe

How long does it take to become an astronomer? Roughly nine to twelve years from leaving school to a first independent research position: a three- or four-year bachelor's in physics or astronomy, often a master's in Europe, then a PhD of three to six years. A permanent job usually takes longer still — most astronomers pass through several multi-year postdoctoral contracts, commonly landing a lasting post in their mid-to-late thirties.

What is the difference between an astronomer and an astrophysicist? Today, almost nothing: the titles are used interchangeably on job advertisements and department doors. Historically, astronomy meant measuring positions and motions, while astrophysics — born with spectroscopy in the mid-1800s — meant explaining the physics behind them. Since essentially all modern astronomers work with physics, "astrophysicist" is simply the newer word; "astronomer" is the older and broader one.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics put the median astronomer's wage at about $128,000 in 2023, but that describes senior people: PhD students live on stipends of roughly $30,000–45,000 and postdocs on $60,000–75,000 (US, 2024–25). German, British and Australian academic scales run somewhat lower in nominal terms, and Indian institute salaries are far lower again.