So you may be thinking in your mind right now that "What is really astronomy?", I mean, you may think that it is a really complicated science? Well don't worry, you will explore the world of Astronomy in this website and this will enhance your understanding of it. Also, it may inculcate this interest of Astronomy in you.


You see, Astronomy is not only about planets, universes, stars and comets, it is more than just a branch of science as it ranges from ancient astronomy (How ancient people study Astronomy), the inner planets, outer planets, giant planets, the birth & death of star, black holes, galaxies, history of universe and instruments used in the study of Astronomy.













So before you even embark on the learning journey of Astronomy in this blog, I think it is best for you to know what is Astronomy.
Astronomy can be defined like in many ways:

• Some say that it is the scientific study of the universe and the objects in it, including stars, planets, nebulae, and galaxies. Here astronomy deals with the position, size, motion, composition, energy, and evolution of celestial objects. In addition, astronomers analyze not only visible light but also radio waves, x-rays, and other ranges of radiation that come from sources outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

• Other says that Astronomy is the science which investigates all the matter-energy in the universe: its distribution, composition, physical states, movements, and evolution.

* Distribution: The position, arrangement or frequency of matter (or energy) over an area or throughout space.


Movements: Any condition related to the positional change of matter in space or on a coordinate grid.

Rotation: Period of time a body takes to complete one spin about its axis.

Revolution: Period of time a less massive body takes to complete one orbit around a more massive object

Physical States: The conditions which permit matter to be found as a solid, liquid, gas or plasma.

Solid: Matter with a definite shape, volume, and some fundamental strength.


Liquid: Characterized by free movement of the constiuent molecules among themselves, but without the tendency to separate from one another.

Gas: A fluid that has neither independent shape nor volume, but tends to expand indefinitely.

Plasma: A gas which is ionized which means that it is not electrically neutral. This gas is composed of ions and electrons. The ions (atoms or molecules) which compose the substance have an excess or deficiency of electrons (negative charge) in comparison to the number of protons (positive charge) that they contain.

Composition: The qualitative and quantitative chemical makeup of matter.

Qualitative Example: The sun is composed of hydrogen and helium. Components are merely identified.

Quantitative Example: The sun by volume is composed of 95% hydrogen and 5% helium, but by mass it is composed of 78% hydrogen, 20% helium, and 2% heavier metals. Components are identified by amounts in a numerical fashion.

Evolution: The process of change of the universe in a certain direction. The Steady State (no longer accepted), Big Bang, and Oscillating Universe detail evolutionary sequences for the universe.

Steady State: The universe was always here, always will be here, is infinitely expanding, and appears the same from all locations. Hydrogen is created in the voids between galaxies.

Big Bang: The universe started with a blast and will expand forever.

Oscillating Universe: The universe started with the big bang, but possesses enough mass (gravity) to halt the expansion so that it will one day collapse upon itself.

As you can see, Astronomy is a wide topic and no one really know what is it as people have different definitions of it (that's why it is so interesting!). But in general, Astronomy is a fascinating science and a study of everything that is in outer space including stars, planets, constellations, comets, the solar system, etc.
 
Here is a video which is recommended by me for you to watch if you want to know more about the introduction of Astronomy: (Enjoy)
 
Video Title: Astronomy Online Course - UniversalClass
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewreKSiaW1I



So I would say that:

Astronomy is the study of everything in outer space

As you know, people who study outer space are called astronomers. So, if you are very interested in this study of Astronomy in the study of outer space, you could consider yourself an amateur astronomer.
So anything that's in space and can be studied is actually a part of astronomy. When you look up at the night sky and wonder about all those stars that you see, that's where astronomy starts at.

Astronomy, like every other science, begins with a curiosity about the world around you. So wait no more, continue to read my blog to uncover the fascinating world of Astronomy ahead of you......!