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Astronomy_Astrology_Telescopes
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Astronomy or
Astrology?
Have you ever finally
just gave in to the temptation and read your horoscope
in the newspaper on Sunday morning? Sure, we all have.
For most of us, it's a curiosity, an amusement to see
what they say our day will be like based on the sign of
the zodiac that we were born under. Sometimes we forget
that this little diversion is actually part of an
ancient science called astrology that has had a powerful
effect on many cultures dating back to centuries before
Christ. That is not to say that astrology is a dead art
today. It is easy to find astrology advocates in every
town, advertising in the newspaper and on television
trying to convince us that they can tell our fortune,
our future and help cure our ills by exploring the
mysteries of astrology. When you are a lover of
astronomy, the confusion between astronomy and astrology
by those who don't really understand the differences can
get pretty aggravating. And in early civilizations, the
two disciplines were not separate. Astrology was just
the religious side of the science of astronomy. So what
changed? The most significant shift that set in motion
the separation of the two lines of thought began in the
first century when Ptolemy wrote the very first book on
astronomy called the Tetrabiblos. In it, he began to
suggest that astronomy should be considered a separate
science from astrology. It was quite a revolutionary
book because it also was the first scientific document
to suggest that the earth was not the center of the
universe and that astronomy should be focused strictly
on the observation and recording of events in the
cosmos. Over the next 2000 years, we have come a long
way. Not only has science and religion completely gone
their separate ways since Ptolemy but the science of
astronomy makes tremendous strides every year that are
so phenomenal, Ptolemy would be truly astounded.
Probably the biggest point of diversion between a
student of astrology and astronomy is the belief that
the position of the stars has meaning over the events on
our lives. Of course, we do know that the weather and
tides and other important aspects of our lives are
affected by the stars, planets and heavenly bodies,
particularly the moon. But these things are happening
because of completely explainable scientific laws in
motion, not because of mystical forces at work. What can
we, as devotees of astronomy conclude about the close
relationship between astrology and astronomy? Well, for
sure we want to be able to explain to anyone who is
confused by the similarity in the words what the
differences are. We do not want to see the two
approaches to the stars and planets to become confused
again. But we should do all we can do keep that
distinction clear without becoming skeptical or
demeaning towards those who may still hold to the
teachings of astrology. It is important to remember that
what is part of a person's religious life has a level of
sacred belief to the one holding it. And it is not
respectful to scoff at such things. If for no other
reason than out of respect for the ancient origins of
astronomy, we should give courtesy who still are
exploring whether astrology has any validity for them.
If we can treat each discipline with respect but
maintain the separation that must exist between
astrology and astronomy, there is no reason both
approaches to our admiration of the galaxies cannot
coexist in peace and harmony. And for our purposes as
astronomers, that harmony will allow us plenty of
freedom to enjoy our quest for knowledge for many more
centuries to come. And who knows, you might still like
to read the horoscope on Sunday morning every so
often.
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