Astronomy is the study of the celestial sphere, and has its origins in religious and superstitious practices, such as astrology, as well as the need to predict the cycle of the seasons and the measurement of time. Over the centuries, astronomy developed into a disciplined science and now encompasses many fields of study such as astrometry, cosmology, and astrophysics.
Amateur Astronomy is accessible to anyone, and can be practiced with a pair of binoculars, a small telescope or even the unaided eye, while the dedicated enthusiast might invest in more sophisticated and expensive equipment.
Astronomy has ties with many related scientific disciplines, from the largest scale, including the study of the structure and evolution of the universe as a whole, to the smallest scale of quantum mechanics and particle physics, which must be taken into account to explain the fundamental workings of the universe and the phenomena we observe through our telescopes.
Astronomy topics:
- Our Solar System
- The Planets
- Stars
- Deep-Sky Objects
- Astronomical Phenomena
- Astronomical Concepts
- Astronomical Events
- Telescopes
See the topics page for a full list of topics covered on starparty.com, including astrophysics, cosmology, space exploration and other related sciences.
Please also make use of our our Night Sky Simulator tool to identify the stars, constellations, planets and deep-sky objects visible from your location.