INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY
Astronomy ?
Literally: aster = star + nomie = naming
Greek words for “star law”
(Astrology was already taken)
What are you expected to know
Measurements used in astronomy
Significant figures
Scientific notation
Dimensional analysis
vocabulary used in
astronomy
Lots of them
History of astronomy
Ancient astronomy
Modern astronomy
Formation and Structure of
the universe
Earth and Moon
Solar system
Constellations
Galaxies
Discovery of the night sky
Gravity
Light and telescopes
Classifying celestial bodies
Exploration
and into this…
into this
And then into
this…..
How can this ? Turn
Ever wonder
hydrogen
A promise and a warning
The promise:
– You will learn a lot.
The warning:
– Each lecture builds on material from earlier lectures,
so it’s easy to fall behind and hard to catch up again.
Astronomy - the branch of science that deals
with celestial objects, space, and the physical
universe as a whole.
celestial-beyond
the earth's atmosphere
Universe: The space which contains all of
the matter and energy in existence.
WTD? Astronomy vs. Astrology
 Astronomy was once just a part of Astrology
 They both involve making observations of the sky.
 That is all the two have in common.
 Astronomy is a “true” science; Astrology is not.
Astronomy
Astrology
vs
Astronomers who just
finished a PhD will
make 35,000$
to 55,000$ their first
5 or so years doing
postdoctoral research
appointments
Astronomers who
make the most have
published works.
(books, video..)
Astronomer-scientist who
studies celestial bodies
This guy made “millions and millions”
Carl Sagan R.I.P.
Astrologists make an
average annual salary
of 42,000 $
astrologist - someone who
predicts the future by the
positions of the planets and sun
and Moon
Susan Miller
This woman makes so much $$ you can’t even find out how much online……
Astrology is NOT a “true” Science
but you can make real money from it
Astrophysics - the physics of the universe
(Astrophysicist ? $51,670 to $170,230 )
Astrobiology – studies the advent and
evolution of biological systems in the
universe. (astrobiologist? $55,760 to $83,640)
Words to know, you must!
Astrobiologist
Astrobiology
Astrologist
Astrology
Astronomer
Astronomy
Astrophysicist
Astrophysics
Celestial
Universe
LBS top 11 Movies that
#10
#8
#7 involve #1
extra-terrestrial
activities
#9
#5
#3
#4
#2
#11
#6
*Honorable mention, numerous episodes of the Twilight Zone
Alien
Predator
Planet of the Apes 1968
The Thing 1982
Night of the Living Dead (original)
Space Balls
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Enemy Mine
Starman
ET
These people didn’t
need to finish
college….
will you ?