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[[File:Chichen Itza Observatory 2 1.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Figure 1. Ancient observatory from Chichen Itza.]]
We often think of astronomy as a type of academic discipline or hobby subject taken up by those interested in the night sky. While this is true, astronomy has fundamentally shaped human history as it allowed the understanding of the seasons and seaborne navigation. Additionally, in order to make wider understanding of the movement of starts and celestial objects in general, a great understanding of mathematics was needed that allowed other developments, where even ideas of mapping and coordinate systems developed. The importance of astronomy to the past is attested by the fact that some ancient languages only went extinct after astronomical observations ceased. On the other hand, for the modern world, astronomy has the potential to also shape our future in guiding future space exploration and possibly new worlds to explore.
===Ancient Astronomy===Basic observation of the night sky across most of the latitudes that people heavily occupy indicates that stars, the sun, and the night sky undergo changes during the year. This is an important pattern that many ancient societies understood, where cultures in the New and Old Worlds developed astronomical observations. This includes the ancient Maya, Aztecs, Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Chinese, and others (Figure 1). Astronomy helped to distinguish seasonal changes that are important for agriculturally-based societies. Knowing when the autumn and planting season in northern latitudes, for example, indicate when it is safe to harvest and sow crops.<ref>For more examples of ancient societies with knowledge of various astronomical principles, see: Ruggles, C. L. N. (2005). <i>Ancient astronomy: an encyclopedia of cosmologies and myth.</i> Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.</ref>
Basic observation However, there are many secondary benefits of the night sky across most this type of observation. First, knowing where the latitudes that people heavily occupy indicates that stars, the and sun, and the night sky undergo changes during the yearwill be makes it evident there is a recurrent pattern. This is an important pattern often has observable mathematical properties that many help ancient societies understoodto develop ways to predict when astronomical events will occur. We see this in ancient Babylonia, where cultures in the New and Old Worlds developed astronomical observationsdeveloped mathematical formulations to understand where plants and stars would align as well as when comets may reappear. This includes the ancient Maya, Aztecs, Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks<ref>For more on development of mathematics and astronomy, Chinesesee: Neugebauer, and othersO. Astronomy helped to distinguish seasonal changes that are important for agriculturally-based societies(1975). Knowing when the autumn and planting season <i>A history of ancient mathematical astronomy: in northern latitudes, for example, indicate when it is safe to harvest and sow cropsthree parts.</i> Berlin: Springer. </ref>
Astronomy helped to form both lunar and solar based calendars, where ancient societies even understood that the solar year was slightly more than 365 days. Navigation of ship-borne trade before 1000 BCE was mostly confined to areas along the coast or regions that can more easily observe land. However, there are many secondary benefits astronomy made it possible to navigate in open waters and during the night. Whereas early navigation depended on land features, understanding the position of this type stars allowed the Phoenicians and Greeks to colonize wide areas of observationthe Mediterranean Sea in the 1st millennium BCE, spreading their cultures in wide areas. FirstBabylon and wider Babylonia was one of the key regions for many ancient developments. This included the development of the zodiac signs, still utilized today, knowing where and even a coordinate system to identify the starts positioning of stars and sun will be makes it evident there constellations. A system for predicting eclipses was even developed, invented in Babylon, which is a recurrent patternstill utilized, called the Solaris system. This pattern often has observable mathematical property that helps ancient societies The coordinate system developed was the eventual 60-based system we use to develop ways to predict when astronomical events will occurdescribe global navigation today. We <ref>For more on calendars and observations of eclipses, see this : Lawson, R. M. (2004). <i>Science in the ancient Babyloniaworld: an encyclopedia.</i> Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, where astronomical observations developed mathematical formulations to understand where plants and stars would align as well as when comets may reappearpg. 32.</ref>
Astronomy helped to form both lunar ===Medieval and Renaissance Developments===[[File:Astrolabe-Persian-18C.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Figure 2. Astrolabe from Persia.]]In the Middle East and solar based calendarsAsia, where astronomy had developed and retained knowledge from ancient societies even understood that periods to allow the solar year was slightly more than 365 days. Navigation development of ship-borne trade before 1000 BCE was mostly confined accurate calendars and to areas along make accurate predictions in the coast or regions that can more easily observe landmovement of celestial bodies. However, astronomy made it possible Astrolabes and other navigation equipment became commonly used to navigate assist in open waters and during the night. Whereas early navigation depended on land features, understanding observing the position positioning of stars allowed the Phoenicians and Greeks to colonize wide areas inform sailors of the Mediterranean Sea their relative position, where such technologies derived from earlier, ancient observations (Figure 2). However, in Western Europe, after the 1st millennium BCEfall of Rome, spreading their cultures in wide areasastronomy had made limited or few advancements.<ref>For more on navigation and star positioning, see: Denny, M. (2012). <i>The science of navigation: from dead reckoning to GPS.</i> Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.</ref>
==This changed by the 16th-17th centuries. Advancements in optics, made in the Islamic world by the early Medieval period, and Renaissance Developments==In then created into a telescope used later by Galileo Galilei that could observe celestial bodies. Observations by Galileo led to him seeing moons in relation to other planets, craters on the Middle East moon, and Asiamany other observations. This, once again, led astronomy had developed to become an important science that also led to other developments, in particular physics in the 18th century began to then be closely associated with astronomy. Phases of planets in their rotation were noticed by Galileo, leading him to support Copernicus in his observation on planetary rotation. Isaac Newton used calculus to explain gravity in relation to the planetary bodies. This helped Newton to more fully develop his theory of gravity. Mathematical laws now became the way in which planetary and retained knowledge from ancient periods celestial motion was understood, leading to allow the fuller development of accurate calendars and to make accurate predictions the field of physics as well.<ref>For more on the movement development of celestial bodiestelescope development and planetary motion, see : Cole, G. H. A. However, in Western Europe& Woolfson, after M. M. (2013). <i>Planetary science: the fall science of Rome, astronomy had made limited or few advancementsplanets around stars.</i> (2nd ed). Boca Raton: CRC Press. </ref>
This changed by the 16th-17th centuries. Advancements in optics, made ===Modern Astronomy===Modern astronomy developed in the Islamic world by the early Medieval period19th century, where experiments and then created into a telescope used by Galileo Galilei that could observe celestial bodies. Observations by Galileo further observations led to him seeing moons in relation to other planets, craters on the moonunderstanding of basic chemistry, such as understanding how hydrogen and many other observationshelium formed the basic components of the universe. Major recent advances have focused understanding the expansion of the universe. This, once again, led astronomy to become an important science that includes the understanding of the origin of the universe and big bang theory became a major discovery. These developments also led to for the need for increased developments in a variety of other developmentstechnologies, including in particular physics in the 18th century began developing exploratory satellites, telescopes, and computers to then be closely associated with astronomyprocess data from a variety of developed sensors. Phases of planets <ref>For more on 19th century and later development in their rotation were noticed by Galileoastronomy, leading him to support Copernicus in his observation on planetary rotationsee: Krebs, R. E. Isaac Newton used calculus to explain gravity in relation to the planetary bodies(2004). This helped Newton to more fully develop his theory <i>Groundbreaking scientific experiments, inventions, and discoveries of gravity. Mathematical laws now became the way in which planetary Middle Ages and celestial motion was understoodthe Renaissance.</i> Westport, leading to the fuller development of the field of physics as wellCT: Greenwood Press.</ref>
==Modern Major Societal Influence of Astronomyand Summary==Modern In the early developments of astronomy developed in the 19th century, where experiments observation of stars and further observations planets led to the understanding of basic chemistrythe change in seasons had clear patterns that could be predicted. This not only helped develop agriculture, such as understanding how hydrogen but other impacts include integrating astronomical observations with religious calendars. Astronomical knowledge had major influence on sea navigation, which led to increased long-distance sea trade routes and helium formed the basic components of the universecolonies. Major recent advances have focused understanding the expansion of the universeCalendars also became relatively accurate, helping to define both solar and lunar based years for different societies. This includes the understanding of the origin Mathematics became developed to assist with predicting observations of the universe planets and big bang theory became a major discoverycomets. These developments also led for This was initially done to assist in the need for increased developments in a variety worship of gods, but soon other technologiesbenefits were found as mathematical principals were applied to other areas, including in developing exploratory satellites, telescopesmeasurements. Map-making was also something that may have been partially influenced by astronomy, as a coordinate system was already developed for understanding the location and positioning of the stars and computers constellations. The 60-degree based system used to process data from a variety of developed sensorsdescribe the sky is also now used today to describe map coordinates and location.
==Major Societal Influence In the Medieval and Renaissance period, the major achievements in astronomy assisted in fundamentally changing attitudes of seeing the Earth as the center of the solar system to being another planet. This helped pave the idea that scientific laws were governing the planets and Earth, increasing research and attempts to understand scientific law rather than accepting only religious doctrine. One of the most significant achievements was the development of physics and utilizing physical theory such as gravity to explain orbits and rotation of the planets and other celestial bodies. Observation of Astronomy the planets also led the development of mathematical fields such as calculus to develop further, which is now used for many other fields. More recently, modern astronomy has led to understanding of fundamental qualities in not only physics but chemistry, where the understanding of basic component of the universe have helped to shape the Earth. Modern theories such as the big bang have now helped explain how old and expansive the universe is. Technologies for modern astronomy include satellites and computing systems that have to be developed for ever deeper understanding and observation, leading to technical developments in robotics, computing, and Summary==artificial systems as more recent developments that have derived from astronomy.
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