For some time in the school curriculum there was no such subject as astronomy at all. Now this discipline is included in the compulsory training course. Astronomy is beginning to be studied in different schools in different ways. Sometimes this discipline first appears on the schedule for seventh graders, and in some educational institutions it is taught only in the 11th grade. Schoolchildren have a question about why they need to study this subject, astronomy? Let's find out what kind of science it is and how knowledge of space can be useful to us in life?
The concept of the science of astronomy and the subject of its study
Astronomy is a natural science about the universe. The subject of its study is cosmic phenomena, processes and objects. Thanks to this science, we know what stars, planets, satellites, comets, asteroids, meteorites are. Astronomical knowledge also gives the concept of space, the location of celestial bodies, their movement and the formation of their systems.
Astronomy is the science that explains the obscure phenomena that make up an integral part of our lives.
The origin and development of astronomy
The very first ideas of man about the universe were very primitive. They were based on religious beliefs. People thought that the Earth is the center of the universe, and that stars are attached to a solid sky.
In the further development of this science, several stages are distinguished, each of which is called the astronomical revolution.
The first such revolution took place at different times in different regions of the world. The approximate beginning of its implementation is 1500 BC. The reason for the first revolution was the development of mathematical knowledge, and the result was the emergence of spherical astronomy, astrometry, and accurate calendars. The main achievement of this period is the emergence of a geocentric theory of the world, which became the result of ancient knowledge.
The second revolution in astronomy took place from the 16th to the 17th century. It was caused by the rapid development of the natural sciences and the emergence of new knowledge about nature. During this period, the laws of physics began to be used to explain astronomical processes and phenomena.
The main achievements of this stage in the development of astronomy are the substantiation of the laws of planetary motion and universal gravitation, the invention of an optical telescope, the discovery of new planets, asteroids, star systems, the emergence of the first cosmological hypotheses.
Further, the development of space science accelerated. A new technique was invented to aid in astronomical research. The opportunity to study the chemical composition of celestial bodies has confirmed the unity of all outer space.
The third astronomical revolution took place in the 70-90s of the twentieth century. It was due to the progress of technology and technology. At this stage, all-wave, experimental and corpuscular astronomy appears. This means that now all objects of space can be viewed with the help of electromagnetic waves emitted by them, corpuscular radiation.
Subsections of astronomy
As we see, astronomy is an ancient science, and in the process of long development, it acquired a ramified, sectoral structure. The conceptual basis of classical astronomy is made up of three subsections:
- Theoretical astronomy is a science that studies the motion of celestial bodies in orbits. It determines the position of the orbits by the current location of the planet.
- Astrometry takes space and time as the basis of its teachings. Using mathematical methods, it determines the apparent position and movement of space objects. Studies the change in the coordinates of cosmic bodies.
- Celestial mechanics considers the laws of motion of objects in space and their construction into systems.
In addition to these main sections, there are also:
- astrophysics;
- stellar astronomy;
- cosmogony;
- cosmology.
New trends and modern trends in astronomy
Recently, in connection with the accelerated development of many sciences, progressive industries have begun to appear that are engaged in rather specific research in the field of astronomy.
- Gamma-astronomy explores space objects by their radiation.
- X-ray astronomy, like the previous industry, takes as the basis for research X-rays that come from celestial bodies.
Basic concepts in astronomy
What are the basic concepts of this science? In order for us to study astronomy more deeply, we need to familiarize ourselves with the basics.
Cosmos is a combination of stars and interstellar space. In fact, this is the universe.
A planet is a specific celestial body that orbits around a star. This name is given only to heavy objects that are able to acquire a rounded shape under the influence of their own gravity.
A star is a massive spherical object made up of gases, inside of which thermonuclear reactions occur. The closest and most famous star for us is the Sun.
A satellite in astronomy is a celestial body orbiting an object that is larger in size and held by gravity. Satellites are natural - for example, the Moon, as well as artificially created by man and launched into orbit to broadcast the necessary information.
A galaxy is a gravitational bunch of stars, their clusters, dust, gas and dark matter. All objects of the galaxy are moving relative to its center.
A nebula in astronomy is an interstellar space that has a characteristic radiation and stands out against the general background of the sky. Before powerful telescopic instruments appeared, galaxies were often confused with nebulae.
Declination in astronomy is a characteristic inherent in every celestial body. So called one of the two coordinates, reflecting the angular distance from the space equator.
Modern terminology of the science of astronomy
Innovative methods of study, which were discussed earlier, contributed to the emergence of new astronomical terms:
“Exotic” objects are sources of optical, x-ray, radio and gamma radiation in space.
Quasar - in simple words, it is a star with strong radiation. Its power may be greater than that of an entire galaxy. We see such an object through a telescope even at a great distance.
A neutron star is the last stage in the evolution of a celestial body. This space object has an unimaginable density. For example, the substance that makes up a neutron star that fits in a teaspoon will weigh 110 million tons.
The connection of astronomy with other sciences
Astronomy is a science that is closely related to various knowledge. In her research, she takes advantage of the achievements of many industries.
The problems of the spread on Earth and in space of chemical elements and their compounds are the link between chemistry and astronomy. In addition, scientists are of great interest in studies of chemical processes occurring in outer space.
Earth can be considered as one of the planets of the solar system - this expresses the connection of astronomy with geography and geophysics. The relief of the globe, the ongoing climatic and seasonal changes in weather, magnetic storms, warming, ice ages - geographers use astronomical knowledge to study all these and many more phenomena.
What became the basis for the birth of life? This is a common question for biology and astronomy. The general works of these two sciences are aimed at solving the dilemma of the emergence of living organisms on planet Earth.
An even closer relationship is between astronomy and ecology, which considers the problem of the influence of space processes on the biosphere of the Earth.
Observation methods in astronomy
The basis for collecting information in astronomy is observation. What methods can be used to observe processes and objects in space, and what tools are now being used for these purposes?
With the naked eye, we can notice several thousand stars in the sky, but sometimes it seems that we see a million or a billion luminous bright points. This spectacle in itself is exciting, although with the help of magnifying devices you can notice more interesting.
Even ordinary binoculars with the possibility of eight-fold increase gives a chance to see a myriad of celestial bodies, and ordinary stars, which we see with the naked eye, become much brighter. The most interesting object for contemplation with binoculars is the moon. Even with a small increase, you can see some craters.
The telescope makes it possible to see not just the spots of the seas on the moon. Observing the starry sky with this device, you can study all the features of the terrestrial satellite. Also, the gaze of the observer reveals the rings of Saturn invisible until this moment , distant galaxies and nebulae.
Contemplating the starry sky with a telescope is not only a very fascinating task, but sometimes quite useful for science. Many astronomical discoveries were made not by research institutes, but by ordinary amateurs.
The importance of astronomy for man and society
Astronomy is an interesting and useful science at the same time. Nowadays, astronomical methods and tools are used to:
- weather forecasting;
- implementation of maritime and aviation navigation;
- establishing exact dates for historical events;
- cartographic images of the planet, building topographic maps.
Instead of an afterword
Given all of the above, no one can doubt the usefulness and necessity of astronomy. This science helps to better understand all aspects of human existence. She gave us knowledge about the origin of life on Earth and opened access to interesting information.
With the help of astronomical research, we can study our planet in more detail, as well as gradually move deeper into the universe to learn more about the space around us.