What is an astrophysicist?

Astrophysicists work in the field of astrophysics, which deals with the laws of physics and chemistry to explain the birth, life, and death of planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and other objects in the universe. They analyze data taken from telescopes, run simulations, and write code to solve problems. They can work as instrumentalists on the engineering-side, designing new detectors and telescopes to see farther into space, or they may work on the theoretical side of the field, using numerical modeling and physics. Astrophysicists must be able to solve complex problems, sometimes using computers and basic programming skills, and work long hours.