top 5 facts about history of astronomy

If you have a passion for stargazing, telescopes, the Hubble Telescope, and space and this thing we call "astronomy," you're far from alone. Of course, we know that astronomy is a highly respected science that has produced some of the most amazing achievements of the twentieth century. Moreover, it is a thriving area of fascination and one of the most exciting areas of interest, with thousands of astronomy clubs and tens of thousands of amateur astronomers watching the stars every night just like us. But did you know that astronomy is one of the oldest and most respected sciences of all? Even before the time of Christ, the wise and thinking people of the societies of that time were looking at the stars and looking for ways to track and map them. Those of us who love astronomy can chart a proud history of astronomers that traces across millennia and virtually every culture in civilization. In order to have some really good trivia in next week's Astronomy Club, let's highlight some of the great moments in the history of astronomy. For many centuries, the science of astronomy was not distinct from the practice of astrology. To be clear, astronomy is the study of stars, planets, and the universe with a distinctly scientific approach. Astrology is the study of the signs of the zodiac and how they affect our growth, our personality and our daily lives. In modern times, we as scientists ignore the astrological side and focus on the astronomy of the heavens. But it was one study for millennia before the age of science separated them. There is historical evidence that astronomy was already a recognized science in the Babylonian civilization hundreds of years before Christ. But the study of the stars was not limited to one country. Similar movements took place in China, India, ancient Egypt and throughout the Arabian Peninsula. The integration of astronomy and religion is so widespread that we see it in the Christmas story in which the Magi, Zoroastrian priests probably from the equivalent of ancient Syria, followed a star to the Christ child. These astronomers were also astrologers and it was this mixture that led them to become part of this historical event. The first book on astronomy was written by Ptolemy during the Greek Empire. From this historic publication, the Who's Who list charts a path right through the heart of modern science, including Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Sir Is sac Newton, Jung, Michelangelo, Benjamin Franklin and, more recently, even Einstein and Stephen Hawking. great list. From the Renaissance to the present day, it seemed that virtually every man or woman of intellect dabbled in astronomy at least a little, and it was always considered a sign of scholars to know about space and astronomical matters. Astronomy has affected so many areas of our lives that we don't really realize. Many words in our language have roots in astronomy, such as * Influenza, which comes from the Latin root word for influence. This reflects the early belief that the position of the moon and stars could affect health and cause or cure illness. * Catastrophe, which comes from the Latin for "bad star." * A madman who has the root of the word "Luna" which is the Latin word for the moon. This highlights a long-held belief, even prevalent today, that irrational behavior and even wild and dangerous things happen during a full moon. Astronomy and its interrelationship with astrology has also greatly influenced culture, education and religion over the centuries. In English, the first two days or our week, Sunday and Monday, are a reference to astronomy, as their literal interpretation would be "The Day of the Sun" and "The Day of the Moon". So if you've found that astronomy becomes a consuming passion in your thoughts and what fascinates you about the world we live in, you're in great company, as this field of study has been a major part of culture and thought since practically the dawn of civilization. And it will fascinate mankind as long as those beautiful stars shine above our heads.