NASA astronomers use several kinds of telescopes in space and on the ground.
Each observes targets like stars, planets, and galaxies, but captures different wavelengths of light using various techniques to add to our understanding of these cosmic phenomenon..
The astronomer spends the entire night pointing the telescope at distant objects -- planets, stars, nebulae, or galaxies -- and collecting the faint trickle of light from each object.
A computer stores the data for later analysis..
Galileo Galilei pioneered the experimental scientific method and was the first to use a refracting telescope to make important astronomical discoveries.
He is often referred to as the “father of modern astronomy” and the “father of modern physics”..
By "listening" for stellar sound waves with telescopes, scientists can figure out what stars are made of, how old they are, how big they are and how they contribute to the evolution of our Milky Way galaxy as a whole.
The technique is called asteroseismology..
Astronomy is the study of everything in the universe beyond Earth's atmosphere.
That includes objects we can see with our naked eyes, like the Sun , the Moon , the planets, and the stars .
It also includes objects we can only see with telescopes or other instruments, like faraway galaxies and tiny particles..
Astronomy - The general field of natural science concerned with celestial objects including Solar System, Galactic and Extragalactic objects.
Most of the enrolled students in the field work in this overarching area..
Astronomers study planets, stars, and other celestial bodies.
They use ground-based equipment, such as optical telescopes, and space-based equipment, such as the Hubble Space Telescope..
By studying the cosmos beyond our own planet, we can understand where we came from, where we are going, and how physics works under conditions which are impossible to recreate on Earth..
Most astronomers work in offices and occasionally visit observatories, buildings that house ground-based telescopes used to observe natural phenomenon and gather data.
Some astronomers work full time in observatories..
The first documented records of systematic astronomical observations date back to the Assyro-Babylonians around 1000 BCE.
From this cradle of civilisation in Mesopotamia – in the southern part of present-day Iraq – astronomers had built up knowledge of the celestial bodies and recorded their periodic motions..
NASA funding focuses primarily on space-based missions and research, NSF funding primarily on ground-based telescopes and associated research, and DOE funding on projects dedicated to better understanding of dark matter, dark energy, and particle physics..
Astronomy has and continues to revolutionize our thinking on a worldwide scale.
In the past, astronomy has been used to measure time, mark the seasons, and navigate the vast oceans.
As one of the oldest sciences astronomy is part of every culture's history and roots..
Research at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian covers a broad range of fields, from theory to laboratory astrophysics and observation. Learn more about the specific fields of science that our researchers and engineers focus on in their pursuit of asking, testing, and answering the greatest unresolved questions about our Universe.
NSF's National Radio Astronomy Observatory designs, builds and operates state-of-the-art radio telescopes used by scientists from around the world. Its facilities include: NSO advances understanding of the sun — as a star, the heart of the solar system and the biggest external influence for life on Earth.
Review of astronomy literature produced every ten years
The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey is a review of astronomy and astrophysics literature produced approximately every ten years by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States.The report surveys the current state of the field
Identifies research priorities
And makes recommendations for the coming decade.The decadal survey represents the recommendations of the research community to governmental agencies on how to prioritize scientific funding within astronomy and astrophysics.The editing committee is informed by topical panels and subcommittees
Dedicated conferencesAnd direct community input in the form of white papers summarizing the state of the art in each subdiscipline.The most recent report
Canadian centre for astronomy and astrophysics
The NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre is the leading Canadian centre for astronomy and astrophysics.It is based in Victoria
British Columbia.The current director-general
