Are there still any astronomers around?

In Avot 3:23, Rabbi Elazar Chisma says:

“[The laws of] bird sacrifices and the onset of menstrual periods – these are at the heart of the law. Astronomy and mathematics are [just] the appetizers of wisdom”.

The word "mathematics" in this Mishnah is a translation of gematria, a branch of learning in which the numerical value of each letter of the Hebrew alphabet is brought to bear on words by adding them up and drawing comparisons or contrasts with other words that have the same numerical tally.  

This Mishnah praises the study of halachah, even where it may not be of current application, while reminding us that other topics of study such as gematria and astronomy -- however interesting and useful they may be -- remain of only secondary significance.

Gematria has remained a popular pursuit with Torah students since mishnaic times, but I was wondering whether any Torah scholars or institutions today are seriously engaged in the study of astronomy.