Foundations of Astronomy
“It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.”
Richard Feynman
"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible."
Albert Einstein
"The universe is a pretty big space. It's bigger than anything that we have ever dreamed of. So, if it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space, right?"
Carl Sagan
Chapter Objectives
Describe how scientists combine observation, theory, and testing
in their study of the universe.
Explain the concept of the celestial sphere and how we use
angular measurement to locate objects in the sky.
Describe how and why the Sun, the Moon, and the stars appear to
change their positions from night to night and from month to month.
Explain how our clocks and calendars are linked to Earth’s
rotation and orbit around the Sun.
Show how the relative motions of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon
lead to eclipses.