- Astronomy is the study of the night sky – from the planets and moons to the stars and galaxies.
- Astronomy is the most ancient of all the sciences, dating back tens of thousands of years.
- The Ancient Egyptians used their knowledge of astronomy to work out their calendar and to align the pyramids.
- The word astronomy comes from the Greek words astro meaning `star’ and nomia meaning ‘law’.
- Astronomers use telescopes to study objects far fainter and smaller than can be seen with the naked eye.
- Space objects give out other kinds of radiation besides light, and astronomers have special equipment to detect this (see radio and space telescopes).
- Professional astronomers usually study photographs and computer displays instead of staring through telescopes, because most faint space objects only show up on long-exposure photographs.
- Most astronomers work in observatories far from city lights, where they can get a very clear view of the night sky.
- Astronomers can spot new objects in the night sky by laying a current photograph over an old one and looking for differences.
- Professional astronomy involves sophisticated equipment, but amateurs with binoculars can still occasionally make some important discoveries.
- The great Egyptian pyramids at Giza are said to have been positioned to align with certain stars.
Astronomy Facts
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