How does astronomy effect everyday life?

Answer 1

Many developments in optics come from astronomy. The Galilean refracting telescope and the Newtonian reflecting telescope form the basis of pretty much every optical system in the world, including disposable cameras, photocopy machines, TV cameras and more things than I can list. Modern astronomy continues to push the limits of optical systems, so advances end up in things like weather satellites. Astronomy also pushes detector technology, with similar results. Earth observation satellites also need to know where they are pointing, and they figure that out by looking at the stars. Astronomical observations provide verification of theories of basic physics, so an understanding of our immediate world is enhanced by observing far-off galaxies. The above answer is well presented, so I will take a completely different tack. Hundreds and thousands of years ago, people, kings, and religious leaders believed our mortal existence was linked somehow to the heavens. An eclipse, or the sighting of a comet, were often regarded as heavenly events that had certain significance upon those who inhabited Earth. Even the story of the birth of Christ, and many other religious events, are linked to celestial landmarks. People turned to astrologers to help explain and predict events on earth. For some part, astrologers relied on historical data to unravel the cosmic mysteries, but a great deal of Astrology was borne out of hearsay, intuition, and stories. During the renaissance period, when art and science enjoyed a revival in the Western world, men and women of scientific reason began to examine the heavens in a more critical and objective way. While many of these people were ostracized and punished (the most famous, but by no means to most gruesome, was Galileo, who was severely sanctioned by the Church for turning his telescope skyward and reported what he saw), eventually there became an social awakening through which people viewed their world, and space, with a more open and inquisitive regard. While astronomy is by no means the only field of science in which this awakening took place, astronomy in particular delivered a profound blow on the monopoly the Church held upon public thought. The heavens were, after all, the exclusive dominion of the Church. Once people accepted that celestial phenomenon could be better explained through scientific study than through superstitious beliefs, all peoples benefited through an enlightened and progressive understanding of the universe that we live in. At its simplest, without an understanding of planetary orbital dynamics, we would not have communication satellites, global positioning systems, or the weather forecasting we take for granted. Without astronomy we would not understand the damage our carbon-burning industries inflict upon the ozone layer or the rain forests. We would not understand how solar flares affect terrestrial communications, or how the El Nino and La Nina impact our global climates. On the more esoteric side, through astronomy and astrophysics, we have a comprehensive awareness of the universe's origins, of how our own solar system began, and what lies in waiting for our own planet in the millions of years to come. We understand the perils of global catastrophic events, such as the asteroid that wiped out 90% of all life (including the dinosaurs) 65 million years ago, and we are formulating the first inklings of how to ward off further occurrences of such events. Finally, through space exploration - in person, via probes, or through our advanced telescopes - we have reached out to other worlds - men on the moon - the NASA rovers on Mars - even Voyager now streams beyond our earthly bonds in search of wonders elsewhere. Within the past 10 years, we have detected thousands of far-away planets - and a few remarkably similar to Earth. Imagine someday detecting a planet inhabited by advanced life - knowing we are no longer alone in the universe. Like all sciences, astronomy and astrophysics have served to enrich our understanding of ourselves and our environs, and have led to discoveries and inventions (of all stripes) that have helped and hindered our short stay here on Earth.

Answer 2

It's nice to see the universe that God created. It's also nice to see things that most people have not. Also the fact that you know that the world that most people live in is so small and what can be seen in the sky is vastly larger.

Answer 3

One use for the study of the heavens today is in the practical application of efficient agricultural and horticultural methods (please see agriculture course, Rudolf Steiner). All of the planets that are within the immediate vicinity of the earth carry their effect down into the soil and the plants which grow there. It is possible to affect the quality in nutrition, storage and flavour of crops through right application of knowledge concerning the movement of the heavenly bodies (please see Results from the Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calender, Maria Thun).

Answer 4

This is what I think:

- Astronomy helps us control time, to be able to use time. By studying astronomy, ancient civilization created the first version of a clock; the sun clock. If they had not invented the sun clock, there would probably be no such thing as a stopwatch or a clock.

That's all I can think of :P

Answer 5

The early Sumerians, study the sky, because they believed in the god very much. Eventually they began to understand it very much, and made calendars, and they also figured out how to divide a day into seconds, minutes, and hours.

Answer 6

Astronomy is in my FACE

Everywhere I look "elements & matter? confront me

Understanding "how" the planets act/react/interact

with man & its like,

Helps me better appreciate my surroundings.

Answer 7

Astronomy and other space sciences have innumerable and varied effects on the public. Early explorers, long before GPSes or even radio, radar and electricity, used the stars to navigate.

Early astronomy lead to the development of the telescope, and lead to optics which has huge applications in our modern society.

Seeing features on other planets, such as the canals on mars, created a whole new genre of literature: Science Fiction, which itself inspired generations of scientists and, eventually, a race into space and to the moon between the United States and the Soviet Union

A lot of things we take for granted, from telecommunications to weather forecasts to GPS navigation systems, are dependent on satellites in orbit which are, of course, a direct application of space sciences

Stars, including our Sun, are ginormous, working nuclear fusion reactors operating continuously, and studying and understanding stars has helped advanced nuclear research on Earth, contributing to our current abundance of electrical power

Studying stars and other planets has helped advance a number of scientific theories and disciplines on earth, including theories on the origin of our planet Earth and the origin of life on Earth, a question that a lot of people tend to ask at one time or another in their lives (where did we come from? where are we going?)

Answer 8

There were many ways, here are some.

The study of stars, moon and planets allowed us to accurately navigate the worlds oceans with more precision and accuracy. Celestial navigation was replaced only in the last two decades with GPS which calculates position to the second with more accuracy. The improvements in navigation by the stars allowed for shipping which was more efficient and less risky thus decreasing shiiping costs.

The scientific study of stars (astronomy) was instrumental in changing the view of the universe which was no longer centered around Earth. Replaced by a the solar system which was centered around a Sun which the Earth followed and the sun which circled a core as part of a huge galaxy. This viewpoint was instrumental in breaking superstitions such as astrology and the prevelent dogma of the Roman Catholic Church at the time of man being the center of all things. Such revelations fueled the age of enlightenment and later the Renaissance. Both of which lead to a modern lifestyle of technology fueled by scientific discovery.

The study of astronomy, specifically the Sun, led to the conclusion that the Earth was round and not flat and accurately calculated the radius of the Earth. This helped Columbus accidentally finding North America by looking for a shorter and safer route to India.

The study of the stars has helped prove other scientific theories which we could not experimentally achieve on Earth relating to extreme gravity and temperatures. And has lead to other questions some of which have been answered such as how old is the unviserse. And some which have not such as are we alone in the univserse and how will the universe end.

Answer 9

Astronomy is the science of space. It includes the study of galaxies, nebula, Solar systems, stars, planets, asteroids, meteorieds and everything which are there in the whole of space.

It is a huge benefit for the mankind to have the study on astronomy. Few are enumerated as below:

It gives us the information regarding the resources of minerals, materials, aliens and other things.

With the help of those resources we can have some improvement pertaining to our global resources and can manipulate them in a best effective way to surve the mankind; like developing super hard materials, high caloriefic valued fuels etc.

By the study of astronomy we can be pre prepared for the safety hazards arising out of asteroids and meteorieds.

Can estimate the age of our universe and other heavenly bodies by which we can predict wat happens when our planet and the sun reaches certain age, like expansion of the sun upto mars etc.

Predicting regarding the eclipse, lunar cycles.

Even the power generation in earth is dependent on the sun, as in solar energy, tidal energy, wind energy, geo-thermal energy all can be estimated by the availability of gravity effect, light from the heavenly bodies such as sun and moon can be studied.

Not only the materialistic benefits, it also adds upto a personnel enthusiasm and interest in such things, like now ur knowing the answer for your question; so ur getting a little knowledge in it and ur getting enthusiastic in such matters. In this way it has several benefits, which can't be quoted in few texts. The important one's are highlighted here.

Answer 10

Astronomy / Physics / Science impacts All of our lives (including YOURS as well) each and every moment that we are alive, whether we are awake or asleep. Let's look at it from this aspect. Planet Earth is travelling through Space while moving in SIIX different directions at the same time. Then there is a matter called the "Arrow of Time" which simply says that, in our four dimensional Universe, Time ALWAYS moves in one direction, Forward. This was evident when Edwin Hubble first discovered in 1929 that, all of the galaxies were recessing away from one another. Lastly astronomy could IMPACT all life on our planet in a most DEVASTATING and CATASTROPHIC way in only 180 years, (to learn more on this just Google Asteroid 1950 DA.) Therefore astronomy is always affecting all of us, every moment of everyday. So, LIVE everyday as though it was your last day, and ONE DAY you'll be right. And remember, "KEEP LOOKING UP." :)