is the observational and physical study of individual celestial components like stars, planets, and galaxies.
We map the sky as a giant, imaginary grid rotating around the Earth. Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology
Introductory astronomy bridges what we can see from Earth with the physical laws governing the cosmos. It is heavily focused on the interaction of light and gravity. 1. The Celestial Sphere and Coordinates is the observational and physical study of individual
Methods like stellar parallax are used to calculate accurate distances to nearby stars. 2. Our Local Neighborhood (Solar System) Introduction to Astronomy | JHU CTY Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology
While often paired together, these two fields operate on entirely different scales of focus and methodology: