Outline of astronomy
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to astronomy:
Astronomy – studies the universe beyond Earth, including its formation and development, and the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects (such as galaxies, planets, etc.) and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth (such as the cosmic background radiation).
Nature of astronomy
Astronomy can be described as all of the following:
- An academic discipline: one with academic departments, curricula and degrees; national and international societies; and specialized journals.
- A scientific field (a branch of science) – widely-recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies its own terminology and nomenclature. Such a field will usually be represented by one or more scientific journals, where peer reviewed research is published.
Branches of astronomy
- Astrophysics – branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior.[1] Among the objects studied are galaxies, stars, planets, exoplanets, the interstellar medium and the cosmic microwave background; and the properties examined include luminosity, density, temperature, and chemical composition. The subdisciplines of theoretical astrophysics are:
- Astrobiology – studies the advent and evolution of biological systems in the universe.
- Compact objects – this subdiscipline studies very dense matter in white dwarfs and neutron stars and their effects on environments including accretion.
- Exoplanet studies – various planets outside of the Solar System
- Physical cosmology – origin and evolution of the universe as a whole. The study of cosmology is theoretical astrophysics at its largest scale.
- Galactic astronomy – deals with the structure and components of our galaxy and of other galaxies.
- High energy astrophysics – studies phenomena occurring at high energies including active galactic nuclei, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, quasars, and shocks.
- Interstellar astrophysics – study of the interstellar medium, intergalactic medium and dust.
- Extragalactic astronomy – study of objects (mainly galaxies) outside our galaxy, including Galaxy formation and evolution.
- Stellar astronomy – concerned with Star formation, physical properties, main sequence life span, variability, stellar evolution and extinction.
- Plasma astrophysics – studies properties of plasma in outer space.
- Relativistic astrophysics – studies effects of special relativity and general relativity in astrophysical contexts including gravitational waves, gravitational lensing and black holes.
The subdisciplines of observational astronomy are generally made by the specifications of the detectors:
General techniques for astronomical research are also convenient ways of dividing the field:
- Photometry – study of how bright celestial objects are when passed through different filters
- Spectroscopy – study of the spectra of astronomical objects
- Astrometry – study of the position of objects in the sky and their changes of position. Defines the system of coordinates used and the kinematics of objects in our galaxy.
Other disciplines that may be considered part of astronomy:
History of astronomy
- Main article: History of astronomy
Basic astronomical phenomena
Instruments, measurement and units
Astronomical objects
Astronomical object
Solar system
Sun
Sun –
Planets
Small solar system bodies
Small Solar System body
Stars and stellar objects
Stars
Variable stars
Variable star
- Pulsating
- Eruptive
- Rotating
- Non-spherical
- Stellar spots
- Magnetic fields
- Eclipsing binary
Supernavae
Supernova
- Classes
- Related
- Structure
- Progenitors
- Remnants
- [[Discovery
- Notable
- Research
Black holes
Black hole
- Types
- Size
- Formation
- Properties
- Models
- Issues
- Metrics
- Related
Constellations
The 88 modern constellations
Constellation history
The 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy after 150 AD
The 41 additional constellations added in the 16th–17th c.
Obsolete constellations including Ptolemy's Argo Navis
Obsolete constellations including Ptolemy's Argo Navis Anser
Clusters and nebulae
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Galaxies
Cosmology
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Space-based
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Balloon
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Ground-based
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Space exploration
- See: Outline of space exploration
Organizations
Public sector space agencies
Africa
North Africa
- Algerian Space Agency
- National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences
- Egypt Remote Sensing Center
- Royal Centre for Remote Sensing
- National Remote Sensing Center
Sub-Saharan
Americas
North America
South America
Asia
East Asia
Southeast Asia
South Asia
Southwest Asia
Central Asia
Europe
Oceania
World
1 Preceded by the Soviet space program
Books and publications
Astronomers
See also
References
External links
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Outlines
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