AstronomyAstronomyMr. RileyMr. Riley

Warm Up Warm Up QuestionQuestion

List as many astronomy List as many astronomy terms that are in main terms that are in main

stream society or stream society or cultureculture . .Ex. Milky Way Candy

Bar

AstronomyAstronomy

What do you know?What do you know? Place the following terms in order from Place the following terms in order from

smallestsmallest to to largestlargest..

solar solar systemsystemuniverseuniverseGalaxyGalaxy

Answer:Answer: solar system, solar system, galaxy, universegalaxy, universe

Place the following terms in Place the following terms in order according to when they order according to when they formed or occurred:formed or occurred:

Formation of solar Formation of solar systemsystemFormation of Formation of universeuniverseFormation of the Formation of the sunsunFormation of the Formation of the moonmoon

AnswerAnswer: : universe, the sun, universe, the sun, solar system, moonsolar system, moon

Before we go any further….Before we go any further….

You need to know what the difference is You need to know what the difference is between between AstrologyAstrology and and AstronomyAstronomy.. After all this is After all this is NOT NOT an astrology class…an astrology class…

AstronomyAstronomy is simply the observation and is simply the observation and measurement of celestial bodies, while measurement of celestial bodies, while AstrologyAstrology is an attempt to find some sort is an attempt to find some sort of “meaning” or “influence” in planetary of “meaning” or “influence” in planetary positions.positions.Astrology is not a science – not based Astrology is not a science – not based

upon upon collected datacollected dataAstrology led to the birth of astronomyAstrology led to the birth of astronomy

Earthrise – Apollo 8Earthrise – Apollo 8

AstronomyAstronomy What do we know? (What do we know? (or what is the most obvious to us now?or what is the most obvious to us now?))

Of all the scientific insights achieved to date Of all the scientific insights achieved to date by astronomers, there is one that stands out.by astronomers, there is one that stands out.

Earth is neither central nor Earth is neither central nor special. We inhabit no unique place in special. We inhabit no unique place in the universe. We live on an ordinary the universe. We live on an ordinary rocky planet that orbits an average rocky planet that orbits an average middle-aged star near the edge of a middle-aged star near the edge of a huge collection of stars called the huge collection of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. This galaxy in which Milky Way Galaxy. This galaxy in which we call home, is one amongst countless we call home, is one amongst countless billions of others throughout the billions of others throughout the universe.universe.

Eric Chaisson, Eric Chaisson, Steve McMillianSteve McMillian

Ancient AstronomyAncient Astronomy

- The - The sun and the moon, the stars and planets sun and the moon, the stars and planets are always with us. Wherever we live, are always with us. Wherever we live, wherever we travel, we can always call wherever we travel, we can always call upon the companionship of these familiar upon the companionship of these familiar thingsthings

The History of AstronomyThe History of Astronomy

Long before recorded history(~500 yrs. Long before recorded history(~500 yrs. ago) people were aware of the close ago) people were aware of the close relationship between the events on earth relationship between the events on earth and the positions of “heavenly bodies”. and the positions of “heavenly bodies”.

Most importantly the Most importantly the sunsun

Examples:Examples: astrology –zodiac astrology –zodiac signs, Mayan Calendarsigns, Mayan Calendar

How did they use these “heavenly How did they use these “heavenly bodies?”bodies?”

Believed when celestial bodies reached Believed when celestial bodies reached a particular place in the heavens a particular place in the heavens changes would occur.changes would occur.Why was this so important?Why was this so important?

Weather – for farmingWeather – for farming

Early cultures, which were dependent Early cultures, which were dependent on the weather, believed that if on the weather, believed that if heavenly bodies controlled the seasons heavenly bodies controlled the seasons thenthen they must also strongly influence they must also strongly influence all earthy eventsall earthy events..

Noted changes in seasons and Noted changes in seasons and floods of the great rivers ex.) The floods of the great rivers ex.) The Nile in Egypt Nile in Egypt

Who was the first?Who was the first? The Chinese, Egyptians and The Chinese, Egyptians and

Babylonians were the first to keep Babylonians were the first to keep records of the celestial bodies and records of the celestial bodies and their positions.their positions.

You might be thinking.. Where in You might be thinking.. Where in the world did the Babylonians the world did the Babylonians

live?...live?...

PtolemyPtolemy Greece Greece (~600BC)(~600BC)

Considered the “Golden Age” of early Considered the “Golden Age” of early astronomyastronomy

Were criticized for using philosophical Were criticized for using philosophical arguments to explain natural arguments to explain natural phenomenon. However, they also used phenomenon. However, they also used observational data.observational data.Background infoBackground info.- The Greeks developed .- The Greeks developed

geometry and trigonometry geometry and trigonometry

They later used these to measure the sizes They later used these to measure the sizes and distances of the largest appearing and distances of the largest appearing celestial bodies. Ex. Sun/mooncelestial bodies. Ex. Sun/moon

PtolemyPtolemy Who is Claudius Ptolemy? (tall-la-me)Who is Claudius Ptolemy? (tall-la-me) So how did Ptolemy make it into the So how did Ptolemy make it into the

history books?....history books?....He was the first to present the He was the first to present the geocentric viewgeocentric view to Europe known as the: to Europe known as the: Ptolemaic SystemPtolemaic SystemThe first to show or observe the movement of the The first to show or observe the movement of the planetsplanets

What’s the What’s the geocentric viewgeocentric view??Belief that the Earth was at the center of the Belief that the Earth was at the center of the universeuniverseWho could argue this….the Earth stayed Who could argue this….the Earth stayed motionless-exhibited no sense of movementmotionless-exhibited no sense of movement

Claudius PtolemyClaudius Ptolemy

The RenaissanceThe Renaissance During the Renaissance literacy became During the Renaissance literacy became

more widespread and almanacs began more widespread and almanacs began publishing astrological informationpublishing astrological information

Astrology began to lose popularity or Astrology began to lose popularity or credibility when predictions failed to credibility when predictions failed to “come true”“come true”Marks the beginning of the end of Marks the beginning of the end of

astrologyastrology