So you're asking, what is ASTRONOMY? Well... Here's our best definition.
Astronomy is the study of SPACE and the changes that take place in and around all objects moving through space. It's more than just Earth and our Solar System.
- The study of astronomy covers every planet, object, and bit of energy flowing through the universe.
So where did the word cosmos come from?
- It's actually a Greek word that describes an orderly and interconnected universe.
- Astronomy is the study of that universe and as you learn more, you will discover how each part is connected to the others.
But where do you start? There are moons, planets, stars, systems, and galaxies. We'll start with the big picture and a general overview of the universe. Go take a look!
UNIVERSE
YOU AND THE UNIVERSE
The universe is the whole enchilada. Everything that exists, exists in the universe. Before you start getting into the details about things that happen in the universe, try to think about how big it is.
Start with you. You are only a couple of feet long. Compare yourself to a whale, or a dinosaur. They are enormous. Then think about how big your city is and how much space you take up in your state, your country, or your continent. Then imagine the Earth. You're not very big now. Hold on it gets worse.
The Earth is pretty small when you compare it to Jupiter. Jupiter is pretty small compared to the Sun. As you go on, there are millions of suns in our galaxy and thousands of galaxies in the universe. No one really knows how many. There are some scientists and mathematicians with theories, but nobody really knows.
