This is a complicated question that depends on the working circumstances of each astronomer. Many astronomers have their basic salaries paid for by an academic institution in exchange for teaching duties. Over and above that, they are expected to obtain money from either the National Science Foundation or NASA to support their research, and support graduate students. These grant requests can be anywhere from $20,000 for supplemental salary and travel expenses support, to several million dollars to develop new equipment.
About 1/4 of all astronomers work in the private sector as 'contractors'. This means that their salaries are entirely provided by working under various NSF or NASA space science contracts. A PI at a government institution, for example, might win several million dollars to develop a new space mission such as COBE, SOHO, AXAF, Hubble Space Telescope, and then with that money, hire through a private company, one or more astronomers to work 1 - 10 years under a share of the NASA contract. The Astronomer might also directly obtain NASA or NSF grants to support themselves to do research independent of the PI. This is a very risky career because when the money runs out, so could your entire career! You have NO academic institutional support to fall back on. As I said, as many as 1/4 of all professional astronomers are in this category. That's why Congressional talk about cutting basic civilian research budgets at NASA have a chilling effect on the careers of thousands of astronomers.
Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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