I'm a Scientist

One of the oldest sciences, people have been looking to and mapping the stars just about a long as there have been people and stars.

Astronomy is the study of objects and phenomena that occur outside of the Earth’s atmosphere, such as stars, moons, planets, as well as black holes and supernovae explosions. Astronomers also look at cosmic microwave background. which is the radiation thought to be left over from the Big Bang. With modern advances in science and technology, we can see farther into the cosmos than ever before, and understand more about our place in the Universe.

This is the Very Large Array, a massive astronomy observatory in New Mexico in the USA. Image by: Hajor

There are two main types of astronomy; theoretical and observational. Observation astronomers collect and analyse data from looking at the universe, while theoretical astronomers create computer models and simulations to try and explain what the observational astronomers see!

In this zone you’ll be able to talk with astronomers looking up at the sky to find invisible bits of matter that are all around us, as well as black holes at the centre of galaxies. There is one astronomer looking at white and brown dwarf stars, as well as one looking at the fireworks created when stars form. Another scientist is linking spacecraft data to meteorites from Mars.

You can find out more about the scientists in this zone, and what they work on by reading their profiles. Click on their names at the top of this page to find out more!