How to get started exploring the universe from your desk

This article is part of a series explaining how readers can learn the skills to take part in activities that academics love doing as part of their work. By far my favourite thing about my job as an astronomer is those rare moments when I get to see beautiful distant galaxies, whose light left them millions to billions of years ago. It’s a combination of pure awe and scientific curiosity that excites me about “galaxy hunting”. In astronomy today, much of our work is handling en