THE ROLE OF ASTRONOMY IN PUBLIC SCIENCE EDUCATION

Astronomical discoveries of the past decade—images of the hot universe at an epoch before the first galaxies and stars emerged, of other solar systems beginning to take form, of planetary systems beyond our own—have captured the imagination of scientists and citizens alike.

These startling advances are the result not only of the collective creative efforts of scientists and engineers form around the world.

Astronomers’ most significant contribution to society lies in the area of science education, broadly conceived to include

  • Raising public awareness of science,
  • Conveying scientific concepts to students at all levels and to their teachers, and
  • Contributing to educating a technically capable and aware citizenry.

Astronomy is relevant to each of these goals, and it can act as a pathfinder in stimulating people’s interest in all of science.

THE RELEVANCE OF ASTRONOMY

Astronomy excites the imagination. The beauty of the night sky and its rhythms are at once stunning and compelling. Our collective efforts to comprehend the universe inspires us, while the dimensions of space and time humble us.

Astronomy encompasses the full range of natural phenomena - from the physics of invisible elementary particles, to the nature of space and time, to biology-thus providing a powerful framework for illustrating the unity of natural phenomena and the evolution of scientific paradigms to explain them.

In combination, these qualities make astronomy a valuable tool for raising pubic awareness of science, and for introducing scientific concepts and the process of scientific thinking to students at all levels. A few reminders serve to illustrate the potential of astronomy to advance public science education goals.

Astronomy is all around us. Just look up!

Who has not looked at the night sky and wondered at the panoply of stars there?

We are all aware of the motion of the Sun through the sky during the day and the changing phases of the Moon at night.

The motions of astronomical objects determine the day-night cycle, the seasons of the year, the tides, the timing of eclipses, and the visibility of comets and meteor showers. Easily observed astronomical events have formed the basis for time keeping, navigation, and myths or sagas in cultures around the world.

TBC...