Home›Browse by Discipline›Disciplines›AstronomyDisciplinesAstronomyCitation FormatsGeneral ReferenceGeneral Reference Citation TextScience Atlas. "Astronomy." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/astronomy.Copy General ReferenceAPA StyleAPA Style Citation TextScience Atlas. (n.d.). Astronomy. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/astronomyCopy APA StyleBibTeXBibTeX Citation Text@misc{scienceatlas-astronomy, author = {Science Atlas}, title = {Astronomy}, year = {2026}, url = {https://science.interactiveatlas.org/disciplines/astronomy}, note = {Accessed August 30, 2026} }Copy BibTeXReference and ClassificationVerifiedAstronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects, space, and the physical universe, generally regarded as the oldest of the natural sciences.FactsCross-Tradition ConnectionsIn the Other AtlasesSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)FactsFounded YearWell-attested1543 1Marks the founding of modern heliocentric astronomy through Copernicus's De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (1543); astronomy as an observational practice dates back to antiquity.Central QuestionWell-attestedWhat is the universe made of, given that dark matter and dark energy, together thought to form ninety six percent of its mass and energy, remain undetected by any means beyond their gravitational and cosmological effects? 2ScopeWell-attestedAstronomy studies celestial objects and the phenomena of the cosmos beyond Earth's atmosphere, from planets and stars to galaxies, using mathematics, physics and chemistry to interpret them. 2SignificanceWell-attestedOne of humanity's oldest sciences, astronomy shifted from calendar keeping observation among ancient civilizations to a mathematically predictive discipline with Nicolaus Copernicus's heliocentric model during the Renaissance. The terms astronomy and astrophysics are now broadly synonymous in modern usage, with astrophysics denoting the physics oriented study of how celestial objects behave. 2Cross-Tradition ConnectionsEncompassesAstrophysics, Disciplines Well-attested Source Astrophysics (Britannica)tier 1Cosmology, Disciplines Well-attested Source Cosmology (Wikipedia)tier 3Founded ByNicolaus Copernicus, Scientists Well-attested Source Astronomy (Wikipedia)tier 2Has ScientistAl-Biruni, Scientists Well-attested Arno Penzias, Scientists Well-attested Arthur Eddington, Scientists Well-attested Source Arthur Stanley Eddington (Britannica)tier 1Aryabhata, Scientists Well-attested Caroline Herschel, Scientists Well-attested Edmond Halley, Scientists Well-attested Astronomer and mathematician; predicted the return of the comet later named after him.Source Edmond Halley (Wikipedia)tier 3Édouard Roche, Scientists Well-attested Source Édouard Roche (Wikipedia)tier 3Galileo Galilei, Scientists Well-attested Source Astronomy: Copernicus (Britannica)tier 1Georges Lemaitre, Scientists Well-attested Source Georges Lemaitre (Britannica)tier 1Grote Reber, Scientists Well-attested Source Grote Reber (Wikipedia)tier 2Hypatia, Scientists Well-attested John Michell, Scientists Well-attested Karl Jansky, Scientists Well-attested Source Karl Jansky (Wikipedia)tier 2Nicolaus Copernicus, Scientists Well-attested Source Nicolaus Copernicus (Britannica)tier 1Robert Wilson, Scientists Well-attested Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Scientists Well-attested William Herschel, Scientists Well-attested Astronomer and telescope maker; discovered Uranus (1781) and infrared radiation (1800).Source William Herschel (Wikipedia)tier 3Zhang Heng, Scientists Well-attested Has TheoryBig Bang Theory, Theories Well-attested Source Georges Lemaitre (Britannica)tier 1Geocentrism, Theories Well-attested Heliocentrism, Theories Well-attested Source De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (Britannica)tier 1Steady State Theory, Theories Well-attested UsesOrrery, Instruments Well-attested ConnectedA teaching and demonstration model of the Solar System's planetary motions.Source Orrery (Wikipedia)tier 3Photometer, Instruments Well-attested Source Photometer (Wikipedia)tier 2Radio Telescope, Instruments Well-attested Source Radio Telescope (Wikipedia)tier 2Sextant, Instruments Well-attested ConnectedCelestial navigation fixes a position from the measured angle between a celestial body and the horizon.Source Sextant (Wikipedia)tier 3Telescope, Instruments Well-attested Source Hans Lippershey (Britannica)tier 1In the Other AtlasesAlso in History Atlas: The Scientific Revolution, originated there.Sources1. Astronomy: Copernicus (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaView the Source2. Astronomy (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaLead sectionQuote, Lead sectionAstronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry to explain their origin and their overall evolution.View the Source2. Astronomy (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaFounded By: Nicolaus CopernicusView the SourceDe revolutionibus orbium coelestium (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: HeliocentrismView the SourceGeorges Lemaitre (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Theory: Big Bang TheoryView the SourceGeorges Lemaitre (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Georges LemaitreView the SourceNicolaus Copernicus (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Nicolaus CopernicusView the SourceArthur Stanley Eddington (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaHas Scientist: Arthur EddingtonView the SourceHans Lippershey (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaUses: TelescopeView the SourceAstrophysics (Britannica)tier 1Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncompasses: AstrophysicsView the SourceRadio Telescope (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaUses: Radio TelescopeView the SourceKarl Jansky (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaHas Scientist: Karl JanskyView the SourceGrote Reber (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaHas Scientist: Grote ReberView the SourceWilliam Herschel (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaHas Scientist: William HerschelView the SourceEdmond Halley (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaHas Scientist: Edmond HalleyView the SourceSextant (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaUses: SextantView the SourceOrrery (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaUses: OrreryView the SourcePhotometer (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaUses: Photometer, Lead sectionView the SourceÉdouard Roche (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaHas Scientist: Édouard RocheView the SourceCosmology (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaEncompasses: Cosmology, Lead sectionQuote, Encompasses: Cosmology, Lead sectionIn the science of astronomy, physical cosmology is concerned with the study of the chronology of the universe, the observable universe's origin, its large-scale structures and dynamics, and the ultimate fate of the universe.View the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.View At A Past YearThe atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.Show This Year