Origins of Astronomy
Intertwined desires
- To understand our universe and our place in it
- Practical
- predict eclipses, predict seasons, celestial navigation
Pre-history -- before written records
- really a lot of guess work
- Astronomy was the earliest science
- In contrast to messy, unpredictable life, there was obvious regularity and order in the celestial realm
- fixed stars always there
- planets move -- but stick to the ecliptic
- sun circuits celestial sphere each year, also on ecliptic
- Example: Stonehenge
- ~ 2000 BC, England (Plains of Salisbury), “Druids”