What are astronomers

When in doubt, reach for the OED:

astronomer
► noun
an expert in or student of astronomy.

astronomy
► noun
the branch of science which deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.

All sounds vague enough to fit your definition, though I'd always call myself an amateur astronomer.

Thanks for the clarification!

Hmph, Mike , you and your always perfectly sensible answers...

in unjustifiable defiance, Brian, I will go with your thoughts except for a couple of amendments:

"Hardcore Amateur Astronomers are people who get their telescopes out at night in the privacy of their own back garden" 🙂

Brian, I think you might be exposing the fact that you are watching too much of the vintage original star trek series "where no man" has gone before they started saying "no one" 😉