An Introduction to Astronomy

Discussion of the Field of Astronomy Astronomy is the oldest science, with the first observations of the heavens conducted by our early human ancestors. Historical records of astronomical measurements date back as far as Mesopotamia nearly 5000 years ago, with later observations made by the ancient Chinese, Babylonians, and Greeks. Humans seek to explain their world with (internal) models; one of the earliest is that the affairs of humans and the world are controlled by the positions of the stars and planets.