Astronomy

Aristotle

Credited with the idea that Nature follows a set of natural rules. Believed the heavens moved in perfect circles around an imperfect Earth. Felt evidence wasn't necessary to prove ideas.

Eratosthenes

This mathematician and ancient astronomer used geometry and shadows to conclude the Earth is round and calculated the circumference of the Earth with 90% accuracy in 250 BCE

Ptolemy

Used epicycles to try to explain retrograde movement of planets. Thought empirical data should match the prediction of ideas.

Geocentric

Earth-centered universe.

Chinese Astronomy

They were the first to record a supernova and the first civilization to create a star catalogue.

Retrograde

This is when a planet appears to reverse its direction of motion and, for a time, moves toward the west with respect to the starts. Nigh impossible to explain with geocentric models of the solar system.

Astrology

The belief that the positions of the celestial objects influence events on the Earth.

Mayan Astronomy

Created the Mayan Calendar, the most complex, intricate and accurate calendar of any known civilization. "Ended" in 2012, along with the world itself.

Egyptian Astronomy

This civilization developed and used astronomy for practical purposes such as developing a calendar to predict the Nile flood and in aligning temples and monuments.

Astral Theology

The worship of the stars (individually or together as the night sky), the planets, and other heavenly bodies as deities, or the association of deities with heavenly bodies.

Astronomical Navigation

Using the position of stars and the constellations to ascertain one's position and calculate one's desired path.

Sextant

An instrument for measuring angular distances used especially in navigation to observe altitudes of celestial bodies. Used for Navigation.

Gan De

A Chinese astronomer, in the 4th century BCE. Created the first known star catalogue.

Ancient Uses for Astronomy

Predicting Seasons.
Astrology.
Navigation.
Astral Theology.

Aryabhata

Indian Astronomer who created a model of the solar system where planets orbited around the sun. Still believed the Sun orbited the Earth, however.

Epicycle

A circle in which a planet moves that has a center that moves along another larger circle.

Heliocentric

Sun-centered universe. Didn't become widely accepted until the 1600s.

Star Chart

A chart or map showing the relative apparent positions of the stars, as seen from the earth, in a particular area of the sky. Used for Navigation.

Babylonic Astronomy

First ones to describe Astronomy in a mathematical way. Maybe invented Astrology.

Oldest image of a Star Pattern

32,500-year-old carved ivory mammoth tusk found in a cave in the Ach Valley in the Alb-Danube region of Germany. Depicts the Orion Constellation.