Astronomy - An Introduction

Astronomy is the study of the day and night sky - it is the work of understanding those bright heavenly bodies that are exciting to view and that hold mysteries humankind has long sought to understand.

Scientists through out the ages have used equipment and devices to better watch the sun and the night sky, to predict the movements of the sun, moon and stars, and to form the calendar by which we tell the seasons each year and measure time over many thousands of generations.

You might think that the stars and planets we see at night and the sun we see during the day have little influence on our life here on earth. It is true they are thousands - even millions - of miles away. But take a closer look. These heavenly bodies shape your daily life in ways you may never have considered before.

Your planet, Earth, is the third planet from the sun in our solar system. And our planet's physical position in relation to the sun has dramatic impact on life on earth. The most obvious impact of our position from the sun is that if we were any further away it would be too cold for the life we know on earth, and likewise, if we were any closer, it would be too hot to sustain life on earth as we know it. In fact, every season we see come and go each year is the result of the earth's position in regard to the sun.

The major holidays we celebrate, no matter what our religion, are often timed in relationship to the seasons, the sun, or to the moon. In fact, our whole way of understanding what time of year it is, what types of activities we are best to undertake - these factors are as influenced by the heavens today as they were in prehistoric times. The heavens - both the day and night sky - are actually a fascinating clock measuring our daily life, our monthly cycles, the four seasons of the years, and time over a much longer perspective.

Links to Understanding Astronomy

Archaeoastronomy studies how humans have interpreted the night sky - the myths, the constructions, and the art we have made for thousands of years to describe, predict, and give meaning to the awesome celestial night sky above us every evening.

Ancient peoples around the world, Native Americans, European scientists, and American explorers are all participants in a long, rich history of exploring the sun and the night sky. From the naked eye, to ships ingenious navigational instruments, to sophisticated telescopes and observatories, to space ships and remote robotics, we are explorers of the universe beyond the earth.

Today we can study Stonehenge, Egyptian Pyramids, Machu Pichu, Chaco Canyon, and ancient celestial rock art - or we can capture a photograph of tonight's sky over the Internet using a remote access telescope, we can join NASA's Mission to Mars, and we can consider the issue of life on other planets - all of these explorations are possible thanks to having a computer connected to the Internet.

Camp Internet invites you to 'Explore our Cosmic Neighborhood' :