People started measuring the stars’ positions thousands of years ago. Astronomy is among the first natural sciences that early civilizations developed, as shown by archaeological records. Although the ancient astronomers were limited in what they could investigate of the sky, the positions of celestial bodies have already had their measurements begun. This made astrometry, which is the science of charting the sky, one of astronomy’s oldest branches. To agriculture, religious rituals, and navigation, the monitoring of the motions of stars and planets in the sky was important since it was the best way to track time.

One of the reasons why astronomy has played a significant role in these cultures is because astronomy allowed people to keep track of the passage of the seasons. In this case, astronomy was extremely crucial, especially astronomical observations. Without it, travelers and sailors would be unable to find their way through the world, especially since it is large and many parts were unexplored. In addition to the importance of astronomy, it benefited agriculture as well. Farmers would depend on celestial movements in order to figure out what time is best to plant or harvest.

Although very little is known about the first impressions of the sky, what is known today mainly comes from drawings and rock cravings. These include representations of comets, eclipses, and supernovae, all of which are derived from different parts of the world. For instance, the Pueblo Petrograph was found in Mexico. It goes back to almost two thousand years ago B.C. These petroglyphs were the ancient forerunners of modern-day star maps.

Astronomy has its origins way before the Greeks made their first astronomical observations. In fact, it was found that the first astronomical observations were from ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia. The Babylonians first produced astronomical observations around 1000 BCE. The Mesopotamian civilizations would record the patterns regarding the positions of planets and stars and also make predictions of when eclipses would occur. Other cultures such as the Chinese, Central Americans, and Northern Europeans also did the same.

From here, knowledge of the celestial bodies has

been gained by astronomers, along with having recorded their periodic motions. The next in the history of astronomy is the Greeks. Following the Babylonians, the Greeks had their own astronomical observations. They were able to use knowledge from astronomical observations and records that they inherited from the Babylonians and develop understandings of the universe. Greek astronomers in the third century BCE made the first attempt to use astronomy to estimate cosmic scales

The Greek astronomer Ptolemy was able to catalog 48 constellations and 1022 stars. Additionally, he even introduced the idea of the solar system, which made accurate predictions of the positions of planets. Among one of the first astronomers, Ptolemy found out that the Earth orbits the Sun. During this time, telescopes didn’t exist, but he was still able to discover the Earth orbiting the Sun. In modern-day astronomical prints and star maps, the same constellations and stars listed by Ptolemy can be found.

Considered the father of astronomy, Nicolaus Copernicus created the Copernican system, which is the first heliocentric or sun-centered theory of the solar system. Another notable figure in the history of astronomy is Galileo Galilei. He was the first person to utilize a telescope in order to look at celestial bodies. During the 17th century, his work and observations had a large contribution to astronomy, creating a huge leap for it, especially for modern astronomy. Furthermore, other discoveries such as the four brightest moons of Jupiter and proof that there are objects in the solar system that do not revolve around the Sun were also identified by Galileo.

Modern astronomy that has been developed is largely due to the time since Ancient Greece. The development of mathematics, along with the invention of instruments used for observations near the end of the Middle Ages, has largely contributed to what astronomy is today. Ever since then, astronomy has evolved beyond just the sky. Astronomical research conducted nowadays is dealing with subjects pertaining to physics. With modern technology available, more astronomical discoveries are seen more often and allow us to continue exploring the universe.

Sources

[The History of Astronomy: A Timeline] [Under Lucky Stars]

https://www.underluckystars.com/blog/the-history-of-astronomy-a-timeline/

[A History of Astrometry - Part I Mapping the Sky From Ancient to Pre-Modern Times] [ESA]

https://sci.esa.int/web/gaia/-/53196-the-oldest-sky-maps

[History of astronomy] [Britannica]

https://www.britannica.com/science/astronomy/History-of-astronomy