astronomer
gb/əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/ us/əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
scientist who studies space
A person who studies stars, planets, and space.
Usage pattern:
an astronomer (at [place]); an astronomer who studies [something]
Common mistake:
Often confused with astrologer (someone who claims to predict events from the stars).
Synonyms
stargazer (More informal and often suggests a hobby rather than scientific work.)
|
astronomy researcher (More explicit about doing research; less common as a single-word label.)
Collocations
professional astronomer
|amateur astronomer
|leading astronomer
|observational astronomer
|theoretical astronomer
|astronomer at an observatory
|astronomer at a university
|astronomer discovered a new planet
|astronomer observed a comet
|astronomer studies galaxies
Themes
science
|space
|education
Examples
- The astronomer used a powerful telescope to study a distant galaxy.
- As an astronomer, she spends many nights collecting data from the observatory.
- Astronomers say the comet will be visible for several weeks.
Learner examples
- My uncle is an astronomer.
- Astronomers study space.
Grammar
Dictionary form
astronomer
IPA
GB/əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/
US/əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/
Syllables & stress
as - tro - nomer (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tro)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: astronomer
- Plural: astronomers
Word family
Forms
astronomers
noun
Core family
Expressions
amateur astronomer
1/ˈæmətˌʊɹ əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/
fixed phrase
hobbyist who observes the sky
Someone who studies the night sky for fun.
Examples
- As an amateur astronomer, he tracks meteor showers from his backyard.
- Local amateur astronomers organized a telescope night in the park.
- She became an amateur astronomer after buying her first telescope.
armchair astronomer
1/ˈɑɹmt͡ʃˌɛɹ əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/
idiom
informal
casual, not hands-on astronomer
Someone who likes astronomy but mostly from books or the internet.
Examples
- I’m just an armchair astronomer—I love reading about black holes, but I don’t own a telescope.
- The forum is full of armchair astronomers debating the latest space news.
- He went from armchair astronomer to active observer after joining a local club.
observational astronomer
1/ˌɑbzɚvˈeɪʃənəl əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
astronomer who collects observations
An astronomer who studies space by observing it and collecting data.
Examples
- The observational astronomer scheduled telescope time to measure the star’s brightness.
- Observational astronomers rely on careful calibration of their instruments.
- She works as an observational astronomer, analyzing images from a space telescope.
professional astronomer
1/pɹəfˈɛʃənəl əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/
fixed phrase
astronomer as a paid job
An astronomer whose job is astronomy.
Examples
- She trained as a physicist before becoming a professional astronomer.
- Professional astronomers often publish their results in scientific journals.
- The museum invited a professional astronomer to give a public talk.
theoretical astronomer
1/θˌiɚˈɛtɪkəl əstɹˈɑnəmɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
astronomer who builds models
An astronomer who uses math and models to explain space.
Examples
- As a theoretical astronomer, he studies galaxy formation using computer simulations.
- Theoretical astronomers proposed an explanation that matched the new observations.
- She collaborated with observational teams to test her theoretical models.