SPACE PHENOMENA FACTS PROFESSIONAL
Various departments in which scientists carry out research on this subject may use "astronomy" and "astrophysics", partly depending on whether the department is historically affiliated with a physics department, and many professional astronomers have physics rather than astronomy degrees. Some fields, such as astrometry, are purely astronomy rather than also astrophysics. However, since most modern astronomical research deals with subjects related to physics, modern astronomy could actually be called astrophysics.
In some cases, as in the introduction of the introductory textbook The Physical Universe by Frank Shu, "astronomy" may be used to describe the qualitative study of the subject, whereas "astrophysics" is used to describe the physics-oriented version of the subject. Based on strict dictionary definitions, "astronomy" refers to "the study of objects and matter outside the Earth's atmosphere and of their physical and chemical properties," while "astrophysics" refers to the branch of astronomy dealing with "the behavior, physical properties, and dynamic processes of celestial objects and phenomena". "Astronomy" and "astrophysics" are synonyms. Use of terms "astronomy" and "astrophysics" Although the two fields share a common origin, they are now entirely distinct. Astronomy should not be confused with astrology, the belief system which claims that human affairs are correlated with the positions of celestial objects. Īstronomy (from the Greek ἀστρονομία from ἄστρον astron, "star" and -νομία -nomia from νόμος nomos, "law" or "culture") means "law of the stars" (or "culture of the stars" depending on the translation). Amateur astronomers have helped with many important discoveries, such as finding new comets.ġ9th-century Quito Astronomical Observatory is located 12 minutes south of the Equator in Quito, Ecuador. This is especially true for the discovery and observation of transient events.
Theoretical astronomy seeks to explain observational results and observations are used to confirm theoretical results.Īstronomy is one of the few sciences in which amateurs play an active role. Theoretical astronomy is oriented toward the development of computer or analytical models to describe astronomical objects and phenomena. This data is then analyzed using basic principles of physics. Observational astronomy is focused on acquiring data from observations of astronomical objects. Professional astronomy is split into observational and theoretical branches. In the past, astronomy included disciplines as diverse as astrometry, celestial navigation, observational astronomy, and the making of calendars.
These include the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Indians, Chinese, Maya, and many ancient indigenous peoples of the Americas. The early civilizations in recorded history made methodical observations of the night sky. Cosmology is a branch of astronomy that studies the universe as a whole.Īstronomy is one of the oldest natural sciences. More generally, astronomy studies everything that originates beyond Earth's atmosphere. Relevant phenomena include supernova explosions, gamma ray bursts, quasars, blazars, pulsars, and cosmic microwave background radiation. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, meteoroid, asteroid, and comets. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution.
The Paranal Observatory of European Southern Observatory shooting a laser guide star to the Galactic CenterĪstronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena.
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