CRISTY G. BERIDO BEED II C ASSIGNMENT IN NAT.

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1. What is the connection of religion to astronomy? In hardly any other area of religious studies today does so much disagreement prevail as in that of astrology? What does astrology have to do with religion? Does it not belong rather to the field of the wrongly understood natural sciences, particularly to astronomy? These questions are often asked when one speaks of astrology. These are then followed by further, rather practical questions as well: is astrology really founded on experience, as followers claim, or is it not rather based on a nave and false observation of the heavens, long surpassed by our modern astronomy? The following article would like to attempt a clear and understandable answer to these questions. It is obvious that the author answers the question of the origin and essence of astrology in connection with religious concepts; otherwise, this article would not be appearing here. As much as astrology is anchored from the beginning in European religious history, it is experiencing a certain renaissance again today. In connection with the press and with television, a quite simple variety presents itself to the public eye, which promises "stress on the job" or "a romantic evening" and often thereby refutes itself. But this is not the whole story of astrology. Also in connection with new religious movements and in the framework of Christianity, but in the framework of spiritual interpretations of the natural sciences as well, astrology has again become current in the past years and decades. Some believed that they could learn about the gods through studying the stars. 2. What is the connection of science under religion? Some (like myself) believe science and religion are one in the same, and that god is not really a being (man in the clouds that grants wishes), but more like a force that governs everything in the universe, and protects the balance in the universe. In terms of public perceptions of science, the only issue where populations, such as the American public, have rejected a scientific consensus for religious reasons has been over evolution. In general, religious populations express positive attitudes towards the sciences and scientific issues, with potential moral conflicts emerging in only a few topics. 3. Origin and history of astronomy The study of objects in the heavens and of the Earth as an object in space, including their history and development and that of the universe as a whole. Astronomy is perhaps the most ancient of the sciences, since all known cultures

have or have had ideas about the Cosmos. Modern astronomy is related closely to other sciences, especially physics, and has many subdivisions, most notably cosmology and astrophysics. Astronomy comes via Old French and Latin from Greek astronom, a derivative of the verb astronomein, literally watches the stars. Greek stron and astr star (whence English astral (17th c.) and asterisk (17th c.)) came ultimately from the Indo-European base *ster, which also produced Latin stella star, German sternstar, and English star. The second element of the compound, which came from the verb nmein, meant originally arrange, distribute. astrology meant simply observation,whereas astronomy signified divination. The currentassignment of sense was not fully established until the 17th century. The origin of astronomy (often intermingle with astrology) was conceived since prehistoric times, perhaps around 5000 BC with the Chaldeans and Mesopotamia. It was discovered by the ancients that the celestial bodies exhibited some regularities of behavior and form certain identifiable patterns. These bodies can be grouped together to form constellations. Indeed, detailed constellation maps were already compiled by several civilizations such as the Babylonians, Egyptians, Maya and the Chinese. However, astronomy was greatly advanced by Copernicus (1473-1543), a Polish Mathematician. Although his theory was not entirely correct, he wrote that the Earth is orbiting round the Sun, instead of the other way round. His idea was supported by few others, notably J. Kepler (1571-1630), a German mathematician, who discovered the laws of planetary motions.

However, astronomy took another great leap when Galileo Galilei (15641642), who also believed the theory of Copernicus, pointed his telescope, a new invention from Holland, at the sky. Among many other celestial features, he discovered craters and mountains on the moon; four satellites orbit the planet Jupiter and rings of planet Saturn. The uses of telescopes open up a new chapter on astronomy and have become indispensible tools for astronomers to study celestial objects in great details.