An astronomer or astrophysicist is a scientist whose area of research is astronomy or astrophysics.

Johannes Hevelius was famed for his work on sunspots, and being the first to study the surface of the moon

Astronomy is generally thought to have begun in ancient Babylon by zoroastrian priests (the magi). Recent studies of Babylonian records have shown them to be extremely accurate for the ancient night sky. Following the Babylonians, the egyptians also had an emphasis on observations of the sky.

Mixtures of religious interpretations of the sky, as mythic tales of the gods, led to a duality that we now identify as astrology. It is important to recognize that before about 1750, there was no distinction between astronomy and astrology.

Unlike most scientists, astronomers cannot directly interact with the celestial bodies, and so instead must resort to detailed observation in order to make discoveries. Generally, astronomers use telescopes or other imaging equipment to make such observations.

Famous Astronomers

See also

• List of astronomers
• Amateur astronomy

There is also a well-known painting by Johannes Vermeer titled The Astronomer, which is often linked to Vermeer's The Geographer. These paintings are both thought to represent the growing influence and rise in prominence of scientific enquiry in Europe at the time of their painting, 1668-69.

da:Astronom de:Astronom eo:Astronomo hu:Csillagász it:Astronomi celebri ja:天文学者 no:Astronom simple:Astronomer sl:Astronom zh:天文学家