If you were to become friendly with a number of professional astronomers, you would probably find that they all had certain qualities in common. You would find that they have a great deal of scientific curiosity about the universe in which they live. You would probably be struck by the fact that they are very studious people who enjoy thinking, reading, and doing research. When you asked them where they worked, they would probably give you the name of some college or university because many of them teach astronomy or mathematics or other sciences. A few would give you the name of some government laboratory, or one of the big observatories. If you got to know them particularly well, you would realize that they are people who have a great deal of "follow through" on the problems they are studying. It is not unusual for an astronomer to study one problem for many years.
Astronomers study the sun, moon, star, galaxies and other aspects of the universe. Their field is one of the most dynamic fields of science. In recent years they have acquired more tools for the exploration of the universe. As a result, their knowledge of the universe is growing rapidly. Astronomers are on the forefront of our search for a better understanding of the world in which we live.