Astronomy Reflection

By Josh Robinson
I have always been intrigued by astronomy and space at a very amateur level. This class has definitely
expanded my knowledge of the universe and what makes up the universe. I guess you could say that the course,
as the title of our text depicts, has taught me, The Essential Cosmic Perspective. I now have a new outlook on
our solar system and the universe all together.
Over the past few months, our most awesomest astronomy instructor, Professor Janalee Harrison, has
prepared us to be able to write a signature assignment about a constellation of our choice. The requirements for
the paper included the mythology of the constellation, the position of the constellation on the celestial sphere,
the right ascension and declination, the shape of the constellation, when and where the constellation can be
viewed, the 20 brightest stars found within the constellation, and objects of interest found within the
constellation. This signature assignment was worth 20% of our grade. Professor Harrison held us to high
standards with this paper and required that it be well-written in a professional manner including citations and
bibliography with a minimum of five outside academic sources.
The constellation that I selected to investigate was the Leo constellation. I am not really into all of the
astrology and horoscope stuff, but I do know that I am a Leo and wanted to find out more about it. Through
completing the signature assignment, I was able to enhance my understanding of not only the Leo constellation,
but of the universe in general. It helped to gain a better understanding of how things work in the universe and in
the world in which we live.
In conclusion, the signature assignment helped me to organize and present information that I researched
about the Leo constellation. In addition, it cemented the process of the scientific method and how it applies to
our universe. Astronomy has also taught my problem solving skills, communication skills, and how to acquire
substantive knowledge about things in our universe.