Where does the word astronomy come from? The word astronomy is composed of two Greek roots, ἀστήρ (aster = star), and the root of νόμος (nomos = rule, norm, order). Astronomy and astrology were officially differentiated at the end of the 17th century, when the term astrology was officially marked to designate this pseudoscience. In this way, the term astronomy was defined exclusively by “the scientific study of the celestial bodies.”
Recall that ancient civilizations believed that their gods lived in the sky, so early astronomy was often a mixture of detailed observations of the heavenly heavens and religion. In addition to a method of trying to divine the will of the gods, astronomy also allowed for more practical applications, such as predicting the cycle of the seasons for agriculture, measuring time, and using it as a directional compass.
For the year 5000 a. C., ancient peoples had begun to build solar observatories, such as the “Goseck circle” of the Neolithic era, to accurately measure the skies. The Sumerians and Babylonians forged some of the earliest astronomical records found to date, containing lists of bright stars, names of various constellations, and the movement of the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
For the year 3,000 a. C., the Egyptians had a fairly precise calendar with the year divided into 365 days and in other parts of the world they carefully studied the skies. In 2137 a. The Chinese recorded the oldest known solar eclipse.
However, astronomy was still closely linked to astrology and it was not until 600 BC. C. onwards that Greeks such as Pythagoras, Thales of Miletus, Plato and Aristotle helped turn the astronomy of mere observation into a theoretical science related to the structure of the universe.
They also used mathematics, geometry, and trigonometry to help explain the reasons for the motions of the cosmos.
Knowing some of the most widely used astronomy terms will help you better understand the basics of stargazing and the science of astronomy.
What is the difference between a reflector and a refractor? Why is a meteorite not a meteorite?
Whether you’re choosing a telescope, planning to observe the next astronomical event this year, or just out of astronomical curiosity, we’ve put together an astronomy glossary that will bring you up to speed on the essentials.
If you want to know more, we recommend reading “225 questions about the nature of the universe that you always wanted to know, but never dared to ask” by Mariano Abril Domingo.
