I want to become an astronaut but I don't know how to go about it. It would be of great help to me if you please guide me about it & let me know about what to do & how to approach towards my goal.

Astronomy is in fact all about the study of heavenly bodies. You will try to discover new planets, stars in our own solar system as well as those in galaxies millions of light years away. You will try to find out peculiarities of these bodies and come up with theories to explain them. You will also study the behavior of comets and asteroids and hopefully warn earth of any impending disaster!

Astronomers are classified into specialised groups. Observational astronomers specialise in surveying objects in outer space with the help of telescopes. Stellar astronomers are stargazers who study stars in their entirety. Solar astronomers study the sun. Planetary astronomers study the planets and their environment. Theoretical astronomers apply the principles of physics and mathematics to understand the nature of the universe. Cosmologists study the history and structure of the universe as a whole.

You will be required to travel and stay in remote locations to record activities like eclipses and meteor showers. The stay might not be very comfortable and so you must have the ability to rough it out.

Education wise you need a B.Sc in Physics/Mathematics/Computer Science or B.E./B.Tech. in related disciplines to be eligible for the master's course in Astronomy. You can also complete your master's programme in the above subjects and then apply for a P.h.D programme in Observational Astronomy, Astrophysics or Space Sciences.

The Introductory Summer School at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune gives you an excellent opportunity to find out if you are cut out for this job. You can enroll for this one month programme in the first year of your master's course/ 3rd year of engineering. In this course a series of lectures, workshops and field trips are organised through which you will be acquainted with the basics of astronomy and astrophysics.

Institutes like the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, or Nehru Planetarium, Delhi, regularly invite students for workshops at their planetariums. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the subject and meet experts. You could contact them directly for further information. Astronomy and astrophysics are taught as special MSc programmes in the Physics or Mathematics departments in a number of universities.