Astronomy combines science and art in an exciting and unique way. Astronomy is the art of discovering astronomical objects and phenomena that originate outside of the Earth’s atmosphere (including the cosmic microwave background, which has a temperature far cooler than the Earth’s). Astronomy also includes the detection and study of celestial bodies through telescopes (including those used by NASA and European Space Agency). Astronomy has been a popular subject in schools for many years. Now that there are many new ways to learn about the universe, more people are interested in this fascinating subject.
observational astronomy is one branch of astronomy that did not develop directly with the rise of the scientific revolution. It actually evolved quite independently over the last two centuries. The rise of the amateur astronomer, John Keck, in the latter part of the 20th century is often credited with kicking off the observational era. His interest in visible and ultraviolet radiation and in terrestrial magnetism led him to use non-metallic lenses to view solar and planetary areas that were otherwise difficult to see with the unaided human eye.
The observational phase of astronomy is only part of the evolutionary process. The first stars and planets were not created by solar or stellar evolution, but rather by the formation and decay of extremely dense gases in the early Universe. There is no evidence to support the theory of solar evolution, and some of the planets in our own solar system are in fact very old. Thus it is with the entire development of the cosmos that we must first learn about the composition of the first stars and planets.
Some of the phenomena being studied by observational astronomers are the distribution of matter within the Galaxy and the nature of the dark matter (which makes up 80 % of the entire space) surrounding galaxies. Astronomy has also provided us with many theories of how the universe came into existence, including the idea of a rapid expansion, the fine structure of the cosmos, and the big bang theory. While observational science continues to improve the quality of our understanding of the cosmos, the field of cosmology (the study of the universe through telescopes) has evolved in parallel. Cosmologists try to test their ideas using observational evidence and mathematical models.
Astronomy as a scientific discipline can be thought of as a way of describing the physical universe. Astronomy as a whole is also involved in the study of space, time, and space travel, and the search for Planets outside our solar system. In modern times there are three great research enterprises that are nearly related: astronomy clubs, amateur radio operators, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA. Astronomy clubs are groups of people interested in all aspects of the science of astronomy. These clubs have helped produce an extensive list of standard technical papers on the subject, as well as international cooperation in the study of astronomy.
Astronomy has had to deal with criticisms from creationists in the past, because many scientists believe that the universe and its origins are not scientifically accurate. Creationists claim that the universe and all the elements that compose it are consistent with the laws of classical physics, which they hold to be the only true science. They also believe that the earth, sun, and other heavenly bodies were created in billions of years with only a few solar systems surviving as recent as today. This view is widely considered to be “deeply religious” in nature. Fortunately for the creationists, observational evidence does exist to counter their arguments.
Astronomy can also be used to study the properties of celestial bodies and their interactions. The study of comets and other celestial objects was developed by astronomer Alfred Wegener in the 1900s. He was interested in finding out more about the composition of comets and worked out a process of mining the moon for its water. His studies have given us a refined and deeper knowledge of comets and their relationships to the other heavenly bodies. Since his death, other astronomers such as telescopes on Mauna Kea, Hawaii have used his methods to study the composition of planets.
Astronomy has had a significant role in so many important astronomical discoveries over the years. It continues to be a popular course in many colleges and universities. Many people feel that observational astronomy is not a necessary career path, but it is actually very useful. It is a subject that many amateurs have a great interest in.
