<p>Astronomy is basically a specific concentration of physics. As a result it often doesn't get respect on the high school level etc because there's no way you will have enough of a physics background at that point to do well in the subject, so all you do is learn facts about various things etc.
When you get to college there's usually an astronomy class that doesn't even count towards an astro major that's the "astronomy for poets" sort, then there's the "hard" intro astronomy class for the majors that you're sometimes not even allowed to take until sophomore year. If you go to a good school for it no one will think astro's easy at all!</p>