When I answer "astrophysics" to those that question what I'm studying I often get the theatrical, "WHOAAA! You must be a GENIUS!" No, not really, it's just the subject I'm interested in.

So instead I've taken to saying, "astronomy" (even though it's technically the astrophysical science department) and people are usually not as annoying in their drama. However, the fact that its orthography is so close to "astrology", it opens it up for more people who are convinced in the validity of said subject. I usually either make a snide comment about the hokum that is astrology or explain that they are two VERY different subjects, one time related.