Astronomy according to the American Heritage Dictionary means "The scientific study of of the positions, distribution, motion, and composition of celestial bodies." This is only a very brief summary of the large area of astronomy. The Astronomer's View only scratches the surface of the this topic. But what astronomy really is is the universe, stars, matter, forces, planets and their satellites, and everything that we're made of.

Modern astronomy is made up of several branches. These include:

- Astrometry: the study of motions and positions of celestial bodies.
- Celestial Mechanics: the mathematical study of the motions of celestial bodies explained by gravitation theories.
- Astrophysics: the study of the chemical composition/physical condition from the laws of physics and spectrum analysis.
- Cosmology: the study of the entire universe.

Many people confuse astrology having to do with astronomy, but astrology really just tells what the planets and the universe can control in our lives.

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