Astronomer

From ePedia, the electronic encyclopedia
An astronomer or astrophysicist is a person whose area of interest is astronomy or astrophysics.

Johannes Hevelius was famed for his work on sunspots, and being the first to study the surface of the moon.Cultures around the world appear to have taken an interest in the sky since prehistoric times. Independently, some of these cultures began to support groups of scribes or priests who dedicated themselves to the observation of objects in the heavens. The observation of the motions of the planets, and prediction of their future motions, was the chief occupation of ancient astronomy. In the west, astronomy is generally thought to have begun in ancient Mesopotamia. Recent studies of Babylonian records have shown them to be extremely accurate for the ancient night sky.

It is important to recognize that before about 1750, astrology was considered to be a science closely allied to astronomy. In some times and places, the two have been regarded as identical.

Astronomers, unlike most scientists, cannot interact with the objects that they study. They instead must resort to detailed observation in order to make discoveries. Generally, astronomers use telescopes or other imaging equipment to make such observations. The job itself is involved with travel to remote locations to study as well.

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