ASTRONOMY

Ø The study of celestial bodies or objects such as: stars, planets, comets, galaxies and its phenomena.

Ø Greek word “Astron” meaning “star”, and “Nomos” meaning “laws”.

20^th century – Astronomy splits into two major categories.

• Observational Astronomy – focused in acquiring data from observation which then analyzed by the aids of Basic principles of Physics.
• Theoretical Astronomy – oriented towards the development of computer or analytical methods to described astronomical phenomena and objects.

Some Contributions of Early Civilizations

Babylonians – beginning of mathematical and scientific astronomy. They discovered the Lunar eclipse record in repeating cycle known as “ saros”

Greek

• Aristharcus – calculated the mass of the earth, measure the distance and size of the moon and star. He is also the first to proposed a HELIOCENTRIC MODEL of the solar system
• Hipparchus – invented the first and the earliest known astronomical device “astrolabe”. Antikysthera mechanism (150-80 BC), early analog computer designed to calculate the location of the sun, moon and planets.

Persian

• Azophi – Andromeda Galaxy (described in his “Book of Fixed Stars”)

Egyptians

• Ali Ibn Ridwan – first to observed the Super Nova 1006 (SN), the brightest apparent magnitude stellar events recorded in history.

Subfield of Astronomy

v Solar Astronomy – the study of sun’s behavior and phenomena.

Parts of the Sun

• Photosphere – visible outer layer
• Chromospheres – above the photosphere, thin layer surrounded by core a transitional region of rapidly increasing temperature then by a super heated corona.
• Core – center of the sun.

v Planetary Science – an astronomical field examines the assemblage of planets, moon, comets, asteroids, and other bodies orbiting the solar system

Subdivisions of Solar System

• Inner planets – mercury, Venus, earth, and mars.

• Asteroid planets – asteroids
• Outer planets – giant gas, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune

v Extra Galactic Astronomy – study of objects outside the galaxy.

v Galactic Astronomy – study of galaxies

Three Parts of the Organization and Distribution of Galaxies

1. Elliptical galaxy – has the cross sectional shape of an ellipse where the stars moved along the random orbits without prepared direction.
2. Spiral galaxy – star is organized into a flat rotating disk usually with a prominent bulge or bar at the center. (e.g. – milky way galaxy)
3. Irregular galaxy – chaotic in appearance and one neither spiral nor elliptical it is due to the gravitational interactions.

v Stellar Astronomy – study of stars, its formations in dense region of giant dust and gas known “giant” molecular gas.

STONE AGE

Ø Old stone age – Paleolithic period

Ø New stone age – Neolithic period

Ø Began when human beings first arrived in the New World, 30,000 years ago and ended in 25,000 B.C.

Ø Tools and weapons were made of stone, animal bones and wood such as axes, arrowheads, hammers, chisels, javelins, and harpoons.

Ø Period when the Java man, Peking man, Neantherdal Man, and Cro-Magnon man existed.

Ø Began to use ornaments, paint pictures and carved pictures of clay, bone and ivory.

Ø Their greatest achievement is the discovery of fire.

Ø They learned domestication of plants and animals

Ø Began to engage in agriculture and developed pottery and weaving.

URBAN REVOLUTION

Ø Important transition began.

Ø Increased in technological innovation

Ø Beginning of the invention of the city.

Categories in Urban Revolution

1.Craftsman and Scientist – led to the search of metallic core. The rise of the first civilization.

Sumerian Astronomers – plotted the motion of heavenly bodies.

2. Copper and Bronze

Ø Goldsmith – a technique of heating metal over a strong fire.

Ø Bronze – most important material of the early civilization.

3. Sea Transportation – progressed from a sailing ship to vessel.
4. Irrigation – development of systematic irrigation.
5. Urban Manufacturing – centered product such as pottery, wines, oils, and cosmetics. (Commodities traded of metals). The science of chemistry started in the kitchen.
6. Wheel Vehicles – primarily provided by animals.

Ø Chariot – during war it also appeared as a weapon.

7. Buildings – used sun dried bricks.

Ø Sumerians – first to build columns with bricks.

Ø Egyptians – used stone to construct pyramid and temples.

8. Dissemination of technical knowledge.