Module 3: Historical Astronomy

From ancient cultures to today, humans continue to wonder what the universe holds in places we can and cannot see with the naked eye. Telescopes have lengthened and clarified our view into space and other technological advances have even placed mankind among the stars. Not every discovery came as welcome from the public. Some notions, such as the idea that the Earth revolved around the Sun countered age-old perceptions of humans' stance among the stars and planets. Scrutiny and even isolation was the consequence for some astronomers who made statements that did not agree with the status quo. As time passed and technology allowed these statements to be confirmed, even more questions and answers about space emerged. Even today, those questions and answers do not come without controversy. Nonetheless, without the curiosity and hopes of people from times past, our idea of the universe, and our position within it, would not be what it is today.

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