Ancient Astronomy

For thousands of years, individuals from different culture have been fascinated with the stars in the night sky. Ancient astrologers were making observations about the changes in the sun and moon and about the constellations that appeared regularly in the sky long before astrologists fully understood the difference between stars and planets. The planets and the stars were used for a number of purposes.

Most cultures created calendars based on the movements of the sun and the moon. The beginning and the end of a day was marked by the rising and setting of the sun. The length of the month was determined through the different phases of the moon. One month had ended and a new one had begun when a moon is full.

Stories were created during ancient civilizations that were based on the shapes of constellations made up of stars. The constellations sometimes looked like objects, people or animals.

Sailors during the ancient times used the stars to guide them while they were at sea. It was observed by astronomers during ancient times that the Big Dipper can only be seen on the northern part of the sky. With this knowledge, travellers were able to figure out the direction that they needed to go and if ever they were lost, it helped them get back home.

Astronomers in ancient Babylon kept track of the movements and paths of the planets. It was believed by most ancient civilizations that the course of an individual’s life and fortune could be predicted by observing the movement of the planets. Astrological signs were created by early astronomers.