Marvel Universe

Astronomer

Universe
Marvel Universe

Real Name
Unknown

Aliases
None

Identity
The general populace of Earth is unaware of the Astronomer's existence

Occupation
Astronomer

Citizenship
Unrevealed

Place of Birth
Unrevealed

Known Relatives
None known

Group Affiliation
Elders of the Universe

Height
6'4"

Weight
Unknown

Eyes
Blue

Hair
Long brown

Powers
Like the other Elders of the Universe, the Astronomer possessed a cosmic life force that has impeded and perhaps completely halted his aging process and that has kept him alive for billions of years. In some manner that was never clearly defined, the Elders' longevity is the result of the monomaniacal obsession of each with their one particular area of endeavor, as if their unshakable determination to pursue their interests kept them alive. In the Astronomer's case he is obsessed with astronomy.

Due to an arrangement between Death and the Grandmaster, none of the Elders, including the Astronomer, can die by any means until and unless Death revokes her pact. The Astronomer can still be injured, but no known form of injury can kill him.

Abilities
It has been said that the Astronomer can project laser beams from his hand and that he uses these beams to measure the distance between planets. He also used these beams for destructive purposes. It is not known if he has any other superhuman abilities. Nor is it known how he manages to traverse interstellar distances.

Paraphernalia
The Astronomer wears a device containing lenses over his right eye. This device gives him telescopic vision, enabling him to see vast distances. The limits of his telescopic vision are unknown.

First Appearance
Silver Surfer #4

Like his fellow Elders of the Universe, the Astronomer is one of the Universe's oldest living beings. He has been existed for roughly 5.5 billion Earth years. He is a member of one of the first sentient races to come into being after the Big Bang that created the present universe, and he continued to live after the rest of his race became extinct. The Astronomer devotes himself monomaniacally to the study of astronomy. He spends his existence exploring and charting the universe and studying its stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies.

The Astronomer is known for his ability to deal with concepts on a galactic scale. This talent made him the principal architect of the Elders' recent plan to kill the planet-destroyer Galactus, the only non-mystical being in the cosmos that is older than them. The Astronomer explained to his fellow Elders that since Galactus served to maintain the balance between the cosmos' embodiment of existence and time, Eternity, and Death, the embodiment of non-existence, Galactus' demise would alter that balance, bringing about the end of the presents universe. Then a new universe would arise in which the Elders could reign, as its dominant powers.

To destroy Galactus, the Elders gathered six power objects called soul-gems, forcing the Silver Surfer to give them the sixth. Using the gems, the Elders caused six planets to drain energy from Galactus that he himself had previously drained from other worlds. Galactus began to dissipate, but then the Surfer intervened, reflecting back the energy-draining beam being used against Galactus. The Surfer then had Galactus's herald, Nova, cause the six planets’ sun to go nova. As a result, a black hole was created, and its tremendous gravitational force pulled the Astronomer and his fellow Elders, the Possessor, and Trader into it.

These three Elders were returned to their native universe by the In-Betweener. But later the In-Betweener apparently compelled Death to slay the three Elders, thereby violating her oath never to kill them. Whether or not the Astronomer is truly dead forever remains to be seen.

Retrieved from "http://marvel.com/universe/Astronomer"

contributors: ohitsme, nightmare_baby

Categories: People