Outline of astronomy

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Mauna Kea in Hawaii is one of the world's premier observatory sites. Pictured is the W. M. Keck Observatory, an optical interferometer.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to astronomy:

Astronomy – studies the universe beyond Earth, including its formation and development, and the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects (such as galaxies, planets, etc.) and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth (such as the cosmic background radiation). Astronomy also intersect with biology, as astrobiology, studying potential life throughout the universe.

Nature of astronomy[]

Astronomy can be described as all the following:

  • An academic discipline: one with academic departments, curricula and degrees; national and international societies; and specialized journals.
  • A scientific field (a branch of science) – widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies it
    • A natural science – one that seeks to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world using empirical and scientific methods.
      • A branch or field of space science
  • A hobby or part-time pursuit for the satisfaction of personal curiosity or appreciation of beauty, the latter especially including astrophotography.

Branches of astronomy[]

  • Astrobiology – studies the advent and evolution of biological systems in the universe.
  • Astrophysics – branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior.[1] Among the objects studied are galaxies, stars, planets, exoplanets, the interstellar medium and the cosmic microwave background; and the properties examined include luminosity, density, temperature, and chemical composition. The subdisciplines of theoretical astrophysics are:
    • Compact objects – this subdiscipline studies very dense matter in white dwarfs and neutron stars and their effects on environments including accretion.
    • Physical cosmology – origin and evolution of the universe as a whole. The study of cosmology is theoretical astrophysics at its largest scale.
    • Quantum cosmology - the study of cosmology through the use of quantum field theory to explain phenomena general relativity cannot due to limitations in its framework.
    • Computational astrophysics – The study of astrophysics using computational methods and tools to develop computational models.
    • Galactic astronomy – deals with the structure and components of our galaxy and of other galaxies.
    • – studies phenomena occurring at high energies including active galactic nuclei, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, quasars, and shocks.
    • – study of the interstellar medium, intergalactic medium and dust.
    • Extragalactic astronomy – study of objects (mainly galaxies) outside our galaxy, including Galaxy formation and evolution.
    • Stellar astronomy – concerned with Star formation, physical properties, main sequence life span, variability, stellar evolution and extinction.
    • Plasma astrophysics – studies properties of plasma in outer space.
    • – studies effects of special relativity and general relativity in astrophysical contexts including gravitational waves, gravitational lensing and black holes.
    • Solar physics – Sun and its interaction with the remainder of the Solar System and interstellar space.
  • Planetary Science – study of planets, moons, and planetary systems.
    • Atmospheric science – study of atmospheres and weather.
    • Exoplanetology – various planets outside of the Solar System
    • Planetary formation – formation of planets and moons in the context of the formation and evolution of the Solar System.
    • Planetary rings – dynamics, stability, and composition of planetary rings
    • Magnetospheres – magnetic fields of planets and moons
    • Planetary surfaces – surface geology of planets and moons
    • – interior composition of planets and moons
    • Small Solar System bodies – smallest gravitationally bound bodies, including asteroids, comets, and Kuiper belt objects.
  • Astronomy divided by general technique used for astronomical research:
    • Astrometry – study of the position of objects in the sky and their changes of position. Defines the system of coordinates used and the kinematics of objects in our galaxy.
    • Observational astronomy – practice of observing celestial objects by using telescopes and other astronomical apparatus. It is concerned with recording data. The subdisciplines of observational astronomy are generally made by the specifications of the detectors:
      • Radio astronomy – Above 300 µm
      • Submillimetre astronomy – 200 µm to 1 mm
      • Infrared astronomy – 0.7–350 µm
      • Optical astronomy – 380–750 nm
      • Ultraviolet astronomy – 10–320 nm
      • X-ray astronomy – 0.01–10 nm
      • Gamma-ray astronomy – Below 0.01 nm
      • Cosmic rays, including plasma
      • Neutrino astronomyNeutrinos
      • Gravitational wave astronomyGravitons
    • Photometry – study of how bright celestial objects are when passed through different filters
    • Spectroscopy – study of the spectra of astronomical objects
  • Other disciplines that may be considered part of astronomy:
    • Archaeoastronomy
    • Astrochemistry


History of astronomy[]

History of astronomy

  • History of the Center of the Universe
    • Geocentric model
    • Heliocentrism
      • Copernican heliocentrism
      • Tychonic system
  • Archaeoastronomy
    • Archaeoastronomy and Vedic chronology
  • Pretelescopic astronomy
    • Babylonian astronomy
    • Chinese astronomy
    • Egyptian astronomy
    • Greek astronomy
    • Hebrew astronomy
    • Indian astronomy
    • Islamic astronomy
    • Russian astronomy
    • Astronomy in the Middle Ages
      • Science in Medieval Western Europe
      • Astronomy in medieval Islam
  • History of astronomy in the Renaissance
    • Scientific developments during the Scientific Revolution
      • Patronage in astronomy
      • Copernican Revolution
        • Copernican heliocentrism
        • Nicolaus Copernicus
          • On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres
        • Tycho Brahe
          • Tychonic system
        • Galileo Galilei
          • Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems defense of the heliocentric system written by Galileo, which led to his trial and house arrest by the Inquisition.
      • Invention of the telescope
        • History of visible-light astronomy
  • History of astronomy in the Age of Reflection
  • Radio astronomy#History of radio astronomy
  • History of X-ray astronomy
  • History of infrared astronomy
  • History of gamma-ray astronomy
  • History of supernova observation

Basic astronomical phenomena[]

  • Atmosphere
  • Celestial pole
  • Eclipse
  • Ecliptic
  • Cosmic rays
  • Kepler's laws
  • Doppler effect
  • Nutation
  • Orbit
  • Perturbation
  • Precession
  • Proper motion
  • Redshift
  • Solar eclipse
  • Tides
  • Zodiac

Astronomical objects[]

Astronomical object

Solar System[]

The SunMercuryVenusThe MoonEarthMarsPhobos and DeimosCeresThe main asteroid beltJupiterMoons of JupiterRings of JupiterSaturnMoons of SaturnRings of SaturnUranusMoons of UranusRings of UranusNeptuneMoons of NeptuneRings of NeptunePlutoMoons of PlutoHaumeaMoons of HaumeaMakemakeS/2015 (136472) 1The Kuiper BeltErisDysnomiaThe Scattered DiscThe Hills CloudThe Oort CloudThe Sun, the planets, their moons, and several trans-Neptunian objects

Sun[]

Sun

  • Location
    • Milky Way
      • Solar System
  • Stellar classification
    • Stellar classification#Class G
  • Internal structure
    • Standard Solar Model
    • Solar core
    • Radiation zone
    • Convection zone
  • Stellar atmosphere
    • Photosphere
      • Supergranulation
      • Granule
      • Facula
      • Sunspot
    • Chromosphere
    • Solar corona
  • Solar variation
    • Solar cycle
      • List of solar cycles
    • Solar maximum
    • Solar minimum
    • Wolf number
    • Solar flare
    • Helioseismology
  • Heliosphere
    • Solar wind
      • Heliospheric current sheet
    • Heliosphere#Termination shock
    • Heliosphere#Heliosheath
    • Heliosphere#Heliopause
    • Bow shock
  • Related phenomena
    • Solar dynamo
    • Solar eclipse
    • Sunlight
    • Solar energy
  • Equipment used to study the Sun
    • Solar telescope

Planets[]

  • Planet
    • Features
      • Natural satellites (moons)
      • Planetary rings
  • Planets of the Solar System
    • Mercury
    • Venus
    • Earth
      • Moon
    • Mars
      • Moons of Mars
    • Jupiter
      • Moons of Jupiter
      • Rings of Jupiter
    • Saturn
      • Moons of Saturn
      • Rings of Saturn
    • Uranus
      • Moons of Uranus
      • Rings of Uranus
    • Neptune
      • Moons of Neptune
      • Rings of Neptune
  • Dwarf planets of the Solar System
    • Ceres
    • Pluto
      • Moons of Pluto
    • Haumea
      • Moons of Haumea
    • Makemake
    • Eris
      • Dysnomia

Small Solar System bodies[]

Small Solar System body

  • Asteroids
    • Minor planets
    • Category:Asteroid groups and families
      • Vulcanoid asteroids
      • Near-Earth asteroids
      • Asteroid belt
      • Trojan asteroid
      • Centaur
      • Neptune Trojans
      • Minor planet moons
      • Meteoroids
      • 2 Pallas
      • 3 Juno
      • 4 Vesta
      • 10 Hygiea
    • List of asteroids
    • Meanings of asteroid names
  • Trans-Neptunian objects
    • Kuiper belt
      • Plutinos
        • 90482 Orcus
        • 28978 Ixion
      • Cubewanos
        • 2002 UX25
      • 20000 Varuna
      • 1992 QB1
      • 2002 TX300
      • 50000 Quaoar
      • 38628 Huya
      • 2002 AW197
    • Scattered disc
    • Comets
    • List of periodic comets
    • List of non-periodic comets
    • Damocloids
    • Hills cloud
    • Oort cloud

Exoplanets[]

  • Exoplanet (also known as extrasolar planets) – planet outside the Solar System. A total of 4,341 such planets have been identified as of 28 Jan 2021.
    • Super-Earth – exoplanet with a mass higher than Earth's, but substantially below those of the Solar System's ice giants.
    • Mini-Neptune – also known as a gas dwarf or transitional planet. A planet up to 10 Earth masses, but less massive than Uranus and Neptune.
    • Super-Jupiter – an exoplanet more massive than Jupiter.
    • Sub-Earth – an exoplanet "substantially less massive" than Earth and Venus.
    • Circumbinary planet – an exoplanet that orbits two stars.
    • Hot Jupiter – an exoplanet whose characteristics are similar to Jupiter, but that have high surface temperatures because they orbit very close to their parent stars, whereas Jupiter orbits its parent star (the Sun) at 5.2 AU (780×106 km), causing low surface temperatures.
    • Hot Neptune – an exoplanet in an orbit close to its star (normally less than one astronomical unit away), with a mass similar to that of Uranus or Neptune.
    • Pulsar planet – a planet that orbits a pulsar or a rapidly rotating neutron star.
    • Rogue planet (also known as an interstellar planet) – a planetary-mass object that orbits the galaxy directly.


Stars and stellar objects[]

Stars[]

Variable stars[]

Variable star

  • Pulsating
    • Cepheids and cepheid-like
      • Cepheid variable
      • Type II Cepheids
      • RR Lyrae variable
      • Delta Scuti variable
      • SX Phoenicis variable
    • Blue-white with early spectra
      • Beta Cephei variable
      • PV Telescopii variable
    • Long Period and Semiregular
    • Other
  • Eruptive
    • Pre-main sequence star
      • Herbig Ae/Be
      • Orion variable
      • FU Orionis star
    • Main Sequence
      • Wolf-Rayet star
      • Flare star
    • Giants and supergiants
    • Eruptive binary
    • Cataclysmic or explosive
      • Cataclysmic variable star
      • Dwarf nova
      • Nova
      • Supernova
      • Z Andromedae
  • Rotating
  • Eclipsing binary
    • Algol variable
    • Beta Lyrae variable
    • W Ursae Majoris variable

Supernovae[]

Supernova

  • Classes
    • Type Ia supernova
    • Type Ib and Ic supernovae
    • Type II (IIP and IIL)
  • Related
  • Structure
  • Progenitors
  • Remnants
    • Supernova remnant
    • Neutron star
      • Pulsar
      • Magnetar
      • Stellar black hole
    • Compact star
    • Supergiant
      • Quark star
      • Exotic star
  • Discovery
    • Guest star
    • History of supernova observation
    • Timeline of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and supernovae
  • Notable
    • List of supernovae
    • List of supernova remnants
    • List of supernova candidates
    • List of most massive stars
    • Supernovae in fiction
    • SN 1054
    • Supergiant
      • Crab Nebula
    • Tycho's
    • Kepler's
    • SN 1987A
    • SN 185
    • SN 1006
    • SN 2003fg
    • Vela Supernova Remnant
    • Remnant G1.9+0.3
    • SN 2007bi
  • Research

Black holes[]

Artist's representation of a black hole.

Black hole

Constellations[]

  • Constellation

The 88 modern constellations[]

  • Andromeda
  • Antlia
  • Apus
  • Aquarius
  • Aquila
  • Ara
  • Aries
  • Auriga
  • Boötes
  • Caelum
  • Camelopardalis
  • Cancer
  • Canes Venatici
  • Canis Major
  • Canis Minor
  • Capricornus
  • Carina
  • Cassiopeia
  • Centaurus
  • Cepheus
  • Cetus
  • Chamaeleon
  • Circinus
  • Columba
  • Coma Berenices
  • Corona Australis
  • Corona Borealis
  • Corvus
  • Crater
  • Crux
  • Cygnus
  • Delphinus
  • Dorado
  • Draco
  • Equuleus
  • Eridanus
  • Fornax
  • Gemini
  • Grus
  • Hercules
  • Horologium
  • Hydra
  • Hydrus
  • Indus
  • Lacerta
  • Leo
  • Leo Minor
  • Lepus
  • Libra
  • Lupus
  • Lynx
  • Lyra
  • Mensa
  • Microscopium
  • Monoceros
  • Musca
  • Norma
  • Octans
  • Ophiuchus
  • Orion
  • Pavo
  • Pegasus
  • Perseus
  • Phoenix
  • Pictor
  • Pisces
  • Piscis Austrinus
  • Puppis
  • Pyxis
  • Reticulum
  • Sagitta
  • Sagittarius
  • Scorpius
  • Sculptor
  • Scutum
  • Serpens
  • Sextans
  • Taurus
  • Telescopium
  • Triangulum
  • Triangulum Australe
  • Tucana
  • Ursa Major
  • Ursa Minor
  • Vela
  • Virgo
  • Volans
  • Vulpecula

Constellation history[]

The 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy after 150 AD[]
  • Andromeda
  • Aquarius
  • Aquila
  • Ara
  • Argo Navis
  • Aries
  • Auriga
  • Boötes
  • Cancer
  • Canis Major
  • Canis Minor
  • Capricornus
  • Cassiopeia
  • Centaurus
  • Cepheus
  • Cetus
  • Corona Australis
  • Corona Borealis
  • Corvus
  • Crater
  • Cygnus
  • Delphinus
  • Draco
  • Equuleus
  • Eridanus
  • Gemini
  • Hercules
  • Hydra
  • Leo
  • Lepus
  • Libra
  • Lupus
  • Lyra
  • Ophiuchus
  • Orion
  • Pegasus
  • Perseus
  • Pisces
  • Piscis Austrinus
  • Sagitta
  • Sagittarius
  • Scorpius
  • Serpens
  • Taurus
  • Triangulum
  • Ursa Major
  • Ursa Minor
  • Virgo
The 41 additional constellations added in the 16th and 17th centuries[]
  • Vespucci or Corsalius early 16c: Crux
  • Triangulum Australe ▶ Vopel 1536: Coma Berenices ▶ Keyser & de Houtman 1596: Apus
  • Chamaeleon
  • Dorado
  • Grus
  • Hydrus
  • Indus
  • Musca
  • Pavo
  • Phoenix
  • Tucana
  • Volans ▶ Plancius 1613: Camelopardalis
  • Columba
  • Monoceros ▶ Habrecht 1621: Reticulum ▶ Hevelius 1683: Canes Venatici
  • Lacerta
  • Leo Minor
  • Lynx
  • Scutum
  • Sextans
  • Vulpecula ▶ de Lacaille 1763: Antlia
  • Caelum
  • Carina
  • Circinus
  • Fornax
  • Horologium
  • Mensa
  • Microscopium
  • Norma
  • Octans
  • Pictor
  • Puppis
  • Pyxis
  • Sculptor
  • Telescopium
  • Vela
Obsolete constellations including Ptolemy's Argo Navis[]

Obsolete constellations including Ptolemy's Argo Navis Anser

Clusters and nebulae[]

  • Interstellar matter
  • Nebula
  • Crab Nebula
  • H I region
  • H II region
  • Orion nebula
  • Planetary nebula
  • Pleiades

Galaxies[]

  • Galaxy
  • Andromeda Galaxy
  • Magellanic Clouds
  • Quasar

Cosmology[]

  • Big Bang
  • Cosmic microwave background
  • Cosmos
  • Dark matter
  • Cosmic distance ladder
  • Hubble constant
  • Olber's paradox
  • Universe

Space exploration[]

See: Outline of space exploration

Organizations[]

Public sector space agencies[]

Space agencies

Africa[]
North Africa[]
  • Algeria Algerian Space Agency
  • Egypt National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences
  • Egypt Remote Sensing Center
  • Morocco 
  • Tunisia National Remote Sensing Center
Sub-Saharan[]
  • Nigeria National Space Research and Development Agency
  • South Africa South African National Space Agency
North America[]
  • Mexico Agencia Espacial Mexicana
  • Canada Canadian Space Agency
  • United States NASA
  • United States United States Department of Defense
    • National Reconnaissance Office
    • United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command
    • United States Space Command
    • United States Space Force
South America[]
Asia[]
East Asia[]
  • China China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
  • China Academy of Space Technology
  • China Chang Feng
  • China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
  • Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense)
  • China National Space Administration
  • Japan Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
  • National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan
  • National Space Development Agency of Japan)
  • National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
  • Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer
  • Mongolia National Remote Sensing Center
  • North Korea Korean Committee of Space Technology
  • South Korea Korea Aerospace Research Institute
  • Taiwan National Space Organization
Southeast Asia[]
South Asia[]
  • Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization
  • India Department of Space
    • Antrix Corporation
    • Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
    • Indian Space Research Organisation
    • National Atmospheric Research Laboratory
    • New Space India Limited
    • North-Eastern Space Applications Centre
    • Physical Research Laboratory
    • Semi-Conductor Laboratory
  • Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
Southwest Asia[]
  • Azerbaijan Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency1
  • Iran Iran Aviation Industries Organization
  • Iranian Space Agency
  • Israel Israel Space Agency
  • National Committee for Space Research
  • Turkey TÜBİTAK UZAY
Central Asia[]
  • Kazakhstan KazCosmos
  • 1
  • Turkmenistan Turkmenistan National Space Agency1
  • Uzbekistan UzbekCosmos1
Europe[]
  • Austria Austrian Space Agency
  • Belarus Belarus Space Agency1
  • Belgium Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy
  • Bulgaria Bulgarian Space Agency
  • Czech Republic Czech Space Office
  • Denmark Danish National Space Center
  • esa European Cooperation for Space Standardization
  • European Space Agency
  • European Union EUMETSAT
  • European Union Satellite Centre
  • France CNES
  • Germany German Aerospace Center
  • Greece Institute for Space Applications and Remote Sensing
  • Hungary Hungarian Space Office
  • Republic of Ireland 
  • Italy Italian Space Agency
  • Lithuania 1
  • Luxembourg Luxinnovation
  • Netherlands Netherlands Institute for Space Research
  • Norway Norwegian Space Centre
  • Poland Space Research Centre
  • Portugal 
  • Romania Romanian Space Agency
  • Russia Russian Federal Space Agency1
  • Russian Space Research Institute1
  • Russian Space Forces
  • Soviet Union Soviet space program
  • Spain Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial
  • Sweden Swedish National Space Board
  • Switzerland Swiss Space Office
  • United Kingdom UK Space Agency
  • Ukraine State Space Agency of Ukraine1
Oceania[]
  • Australia Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
World[]
  • Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization
  • Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems
  • COSPAR symbol placeholder.svg Committee on Space Research
  • International Academy of Astronautics
  • International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
  • Intercosmos
  • Intersputnik
  • Arab League Pan-Arab Space Agency
  • United Nations United Nations
    • United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
    • United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

1 Preceded by the Soviet space program

Books and publications[]

  • Almagest
  • Astronomia Nova
  • Astronomical Journal
  • Astrophysical Journal
  • BD Catalogue
  • De Revolutionibus
  • Henry Draper Catalogue
  • Messier Catalogue
  • New General Catalogue
  • Principia

Astronomers[]

  • Walter Baade
  • Friedrich Bessel
  • Tycho Brahe
  • Annie Jump Cannon
  • Alvan Clark
  • Nicholas Copernicus
  • Galileo
  • George Ellery Hale
  • William Herschel
  • Edwin Hubble
  • Jacobus Kapteyn
  • Johannes Kepler
  • Gerard Kuiper
  • Henrietta Leavitt
  • Isaac Newton
  • Edward C. Pickering
  • Ptolemy
  • Henry Norris Russell
  • Harlow Shapley

See also[]

  • Asterism
  • Constellation
  • Galaxy
  • Globular cluster
  • Gravitation
  • Guest star
  • Helioseismology
  • Infrared dark cloud
  • Intergalactic star
  • Open cluster
  • Planet
  • Star cluster
  • Stellar association
  • Supercluster

References[]

  1. ^ "astrophysics". Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Retrieved 2011-05-22.

External links[]

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