4.7 Other Ways of Knowing about the Universe

The Oldest Science

Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences. Ancient peoples all over the world looked to the sky with curiosity and interest. Many societies associated the celestial bodies with various gods and spirits. They often related the movements of the planets and stars with the actions of the gods. Seasonal and weather changes were also related to the changes in the sky. The science of astronomy was propelled by a need to understand weather patterns for purposes of agriculture, fishing, hunting, and simply a deep curiosity about the vast night sky.

Weather, Seasonal Changes, and Agriculture

Early cultures and civilizations used the movements of stars and visible planets to predict seasonal changes. This was very important for agricultural societies, as their harvest depended on planting crops at the right time. Aboriginal peoples used the skies to guide their fishing, hunting, and gathering of berries and plants.

In ancient Egypt, the waters of the Nile River flooded every year, creating rich soil for agriculture. Egyptian astronomers detected a pattern in this flooding. They realized that it happened at the same time each year—when the bright star, Sirius, rose before the Sun. This marked the summer solstice. This understanding meant that astronomers could predict the floods each year and plan for farming. Further, they were the first civilization to develop a 365 day calendar based on their understanding of the river's cycle.