1) Many ancient cultures developed sophisticated astronomy traditions and systems for tracking celestial events, including African, Chinese, Australian Aboriginal, Mayan, Greek, Inuit, and European cultures dating back as far as 2,000 BC. 2) These traditions incorporated astronomy into cultural storytelling, calendars, rituals, and timekeeping and were used to make sense of the cosmos and understand celestial phenomena. 3) Key figures like Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler advanced scientific astronomy in Europe starting in the 15th century by developing heliocentric models and improving observational tools and methods.

1. Astronomy and Culture: A Historic Snap Shoot by Ann C. Cloutier Science Department Sandwich High School copyright 2009

2. Who thought of astronomy first ?