Astronomy
hideAstronomy (from the Greek words astron (ἄστρον), "star", and nomos (νόμος), "law") is the scientific study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere (such as the cosmic background radiation). It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the formation and development of the universe.
Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences. Astronomers of early civilizations performed methodical observations of the night sky, and astronomical artifacts have been found from much earlier periods. However, the invention of the telescope was required before astronomy was able to develop into a modern science. Historically, astronomy has included disciplines as diverse as astrometry, celestial navigation, observational astronomy, the making of calendars, and even astrology, but professional astronomy is nowadays often considered to be synonymous with astrophysics.
Since the 20th century, the field of professional astronomy split into observational and theoretical branches. Observational astronomy is focused on acquiring and analyzing data, mainly using basic principles of physics. Theoretical astronomy is oriented towards the development of computer or analytical models to describe astronomical objects and phenomena. The two fields complement each other, with theoretical astronomy seeking to explain the observational results, and observations being used to confirm theoretical results.
Amateur astronomers have contributed to many important astronomical discoveries, and astronomy is one of the few sciences where amateurs can still play an active role, especially in the discovery and observation of transient phenomena.
Old or even ancient astronomy is not to be confused with astrology, the belief system which claims that human affairs are correlated with the positions of celestial objects. Although the two fields share a common origin and a part of their methods (namely, the use of ephemerides), they are distinct.
2009 has been declared by the UN to be the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009). The focus is on enhancing the public’s understanding and engagement with astronomy.
For more information about Astronomy, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with astronomy
SOFIA Seeks Secrets of Planetary Birth
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Nov 19, 2009 |
not rated yet |
1
You don't always have to have a rocket to do rocket science. Sometimes a mere airplane will do - that is, a mere Boeing 747 toting a 17-ton, 9-foot wide telescope named SOFIA.
Discovery of dwarf galaxy a big find for astronomy team
Oct 20, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (13) |
4
In some ways, discovering a new galaxy is all in a day's work for John Cannon, Macalester College assistant astronomy professor.
Researchers explain the activity of black holes at the centre of galaxy clusters
Sep 04, 2009 |
3.9 / 5 (15) |
27
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers at the University of Bonn have clarified the connection between black holes at the centre of galaxy clusters and surrounding gas, which serves them as "food". The scientists have ...
Scientists make first discovery using revolutionary long wavelength demonstrator array
Aug 18, 2009 |
4.6 / 5 (9) |
0
Scientists from NRL's Space Science and Remote Sensing Divisions, in collaboration with researchers from the University of New Mexico and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory located in Socorro, N.M., ...
Variability of type 1a supernovae has implications for dark energy studies
Aug 12, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (19) |
20
(PhysOrg.com) -- The stellar explosions known as type 1a supernovae have long been used as "standard candles," their uniform brightness giving astronomers a way to measure cosmic distances and the expansion ...
Pulsating White Dwarfs Explained by 'Accidental Astronomer'
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 28, 2009 |
3 / 5 (2) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- Exploring distant parts of the galaxy, astrophysicist Denis Sullivan has collaborated on the discovery of about six extrasolar planets--not bad for an accidental astronomer.
Building a stellar time machine
Jul 07, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (13) |
4
(PhysOrg.com) -- Harvard researchers are building a celestial time machine that lets astronomers look back at hundreds of thousands of objects in the Earth’s skies over the past century.
The cosmos is green: Researchers catch nature in the act of 'recycling' a star (w/Animations)
May 21, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (17) |
12
(PhysOrg.com) -- For the first time, researchers have observed a singular cosmic act of rebirth: the transformation of an ordinary, slow-rotating pulsar into a superfast millisecond pulsar with an almost infinitely ...
Herschel and Planck Share Ride to Space
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
May 05, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
0
Two missions to study the cosmos, Herschel and Planck, are scheduled to blast into space May 14 aboard the same Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. The European Space Agency, or ...
Scientists discover a nearly Earth-sized planet (Update)
Apr 21, 2009 |
4.2 / 5 (19) |
15
(PhysOrg.com) -- Exoplanet researcher Michel Mayor announces the discovery of the lightest exoplanet found so far. The planet, "e," in the system Gliese 581, is only about twice the mass of our Earth. The ...
Palomar Observatory is last stop on 24-hour webcast linking telescopes around the globe and in space
Mar 26, 2009 |
5 / 5 (4) |
0
Around the World in 80 Telescopes, part of the International Year of Astronomy's 100 Hours of Astronomy Cornerstone Project of global outreach activities, will begin on April 3. Observatories in 15 countries ...
Astronomy's bright future
Mar 02, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (5) |
2
To mark UNESCO's International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009), six leading astronomers from the UK, the US, Europe and Asia write in March's Physics World about the biggest challenges and opportunities facing international astron ...
Astronomers unveiling life's cosmic origins
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Feb 12, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (7) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- Processes that laid the foundation for life on Earth -- star and planet formation and the production of complex organic molecules in interstellar space -- are yielding their secrets to astronomers ...
Radio-astronomers form telescope the size of Earth
Jan 13, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (12) |
1
(PhysOrg.com) -- Radio telescopes around the world will join forces this week to carry out a unique observation of three quasars, distant galaxies powered by super-massive black holes at their cores.
Looking through Galileo's eyes
Jan 08, 2009 |
4 / 5 (2) |
0
In 1609, exactly four centuries ago, Galileo revolutionised humankind's understanding of our position in the Universe when he used a telescope for the first time to study the heavens, which saw him sketching radical new views ...
