How does astronomy effect everyday life?
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.
