Resources
On the web, one can find countless resources related to astronomical schools and programs, competitive exams, online courses, and whatnot for undergrad students aspiring to pursue Astronomy & Astrophysics as a career.
Here, I've tried to compile some useful resources, especially for Indian students, but they can be used by anyone for preparing oneself to pursue A&A. All the lists are updated in every week or two or whenever I get time. Also, if you have any resource which I would like to be shared with others then feel free to share it using this form: https://forms.gle/pU8qqzuUvt5wXkNE9
Compiling all the information on this page has taken a lot of time & hard work. If you find the links helpful, buy me a coffee to keep me motivated for continuing this work.
Thank you!
Page Last Updated: 01 Feb 2022
Online courses in Astronomy:
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Scientific Computing in Astronomy, Krittika Astronomy Club, IITB
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Data-Driven Astronomy, Coursera
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GROWTH Astronomy School 2020, Caltech
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Summer school and Refresher course in Astronomy & Astrophysics 2020, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA)
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Radio Astronomy Winter School 2020, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics - Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (NCRA-TIFR)
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GW@Home, LIGO-India & IUCAA
Scientific Python & Astronomy:
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A Beginner’s Guide to Working with Astronomical Data, Markus Pössel, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
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3D Scientific Visualization with Blender, Brian R. Kent
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A Simple Guide to Beautiful Visualizations in Python, Frank Andrade
Useful Youtube videos & channels (Highly Recommended):
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3Blue1Brown - Concepts of Mathematics visualized at it's best!
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Constellations | Seeker, Sarafina Nance, UCB
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A Stellar History of Modern Astronomy, Emily Levesque, University of Washington
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Daily Life of an Astrophysicist, Dr. Becky, Oxford University
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Life of an IUCAA Astrophysics Research Scholar, Parisee Shirke, IUCAA
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A Day in the life of an Astronomer, South African Astronomical Observatory
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Be An Astrophysicist, Colleen Hoon, ANU
Astronomy Schools & Graduate programs in India:
Till now there is no institute in India that offers a Bachelors's program in Astronomy or Astrophysics. Therefore, one can opt for a B.Sc. or B.S. in Physics/Mathematics or B.Tech in Eng. Physics preferably to strengthen the basic undergraduate Physics and Mathematics which is very essential for excelling in A&A later.
Honestly, specialization/branch of bachelor's degree doesn't matter much as I have many friends who are not pursuing a Physics degree but are still doing impressive quality research work in A&A. One can attend Astronomy schools or may do a project to nurture their interest and develop their skills for higher studies and research.
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M.Sc. Physics with specialization in Astrophysics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
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M.Sc. Physics (Astrophysics), St. Xaviers College, Mumbai
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M.Sc. Astronomy, IIT Indore
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Integrated MSc-PhD, TIFR, Mumbai
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Integrated MSc-PhD in Radio Astrophysics, NCRA-TIFR
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Ph.D. in Astrophysics, IUCAA
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Radio Astronomy Winter School, NCRA-TIFR
Here are some articles & YouTube Videos which you may find beneficial:
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How to be an Astronomer, Dr. Thanu Padmanabhan, IUCAA SciPoP
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All about Careers in Astronomy! How to become an Astronomer?, Swanim & Parisee Shirke, IUCAA
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Careers in Astronomy and Astrophysics [English][Hindi], Prof. Ranjan Gupta, IUCAA
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How to Become an Astrophysicist, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
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Careers in Astronomy, Radio Astronomy Winter School, NCRA-TIFR & IUCAA
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How To Become an Astrophysicist + Challenge Question!, PBS Space Time
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So you want to be a Professional Astronomer!, Duncan Forbes
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A New Universe to Discover: A Guide to Careers in Astronomy, The American Astronomical Society
Useful Websites & Articles:
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Astrobites - briefing research papers for undergrads
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How to make an Astrophysicist - a resourceful website for astronomical resources and opportunities
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You and Your Research [Article][YouTube Video], Richard Hamming
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Why is astronomy important? - Ask a Spaceman!, Paul M. Sutter
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Astronomy in our daily lives, Canadian Space Agency
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Constellations (suggested by Tina & Stacy Martin)
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How to send and reply to Email, Matt Might
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ArXiv - free distribution service and an open-access archive for Scholarly Articles & Research Papers
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NASA/ADS - digital library portal for researchers in Astronomy and Physics
Graduate School Advice and Admissions:
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The illustrated guide to a Ph.D., Matt Might, University of Utah
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Questions to Ask as a Prospective Graduate Student, Ryan Rubenzahl, Caltech
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Ph.D. Admission Series, Lilian Horin, Harvard
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Ph.D. Guide, Astrophysics Girl
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Honest advice for the Astronomy grad school application process
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Tips for Applying to Graduate School in Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin
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Guide to Graduate School, Astrobites
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Writing the Statement of Purpose, University of California, Berkeley
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Funded Masters Programmes, Astrophysics Girl
DIY: Personal Website:
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Website with Wix
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Gitfolio - a website for your GitHub Repos
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Creating a simple and effective academic personal website, Elsevier
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Personal Academic Webpages: How-To's and Tips for a Better Site, University of California, Berkeley