Let me explain...

Halfway into the first week of classes, and I have to say I am pretty fired up this semester at what is ahead of me.  All the classes are interesting and both Calculus, and Organic Chem seem to be finally clicking in my brain.  Maybe that's just a side effect of actually studying this time around and doing the work right away rather than at the last minute.

However.  While I am used to the blank looks I get from students when I tell them that I am planning on going into Astrophysics for grad school, and concentrating in Astrochemistry...I am a little bit shocked that all of my new professors this semester have no idea what I am talking about.  Mind you, these are people with PhD's in Chemistry.  "I have no idea what that is." being the words that come out of their mouths.  Granted, it is a bit of an obscure sub-discipline...

So, to make it clear...let me explain.  These are the three main fields where Chemistry and Astrophysics/Astronomy converge (in brief):

Astrochemistry:  The chemistry of stars, stellar populations, and galaxies.  The study of the chemical makeup of the interstellar medium (molecular gas clouds and the like).

Cosmochemistry:  The chemistry of non-planetary objects within our solar system.  Chemistry of asteroids, comets, Kuiper-belt objects, and the Oort cloud.

Planetary (Geo) Chemistry:  While the Geochemistry deals with the solid surface/sub-surface of planets, the other portion deals with atmospheric chemistry.  This could be considered the non-terrestrial version of the field of Environmental chemistry.

While my specific research will depend on where I end up for grad school (University of Hawaii?!?), my current  interest is the chemical evolution of galaxies.  Older galaxies that formed soon after the big bang have 1st generation stars composed only of Hydrogen & Helium, while 2nd and 3rd generation stars have a much more complex chemical makeup.  Honestly I could study any of this stuff and still be happy.

I does turn out, however, that I get to pick my own topic for my research paper for my Chem. Literature Methods class.  I have to clear it with my Prof., but I think I am going to spend the semester working on a paper regarding the 'Chemical Dynamics of the Methological Cycle in the Atmosphere of Titan' ie. the Methane rain on Saturns moon Titan.  You know....this stuff.