Andromeda DavisThere has always been a lot of confusion surrounding astrology and astronomy. In 2014, a poll was issued by the Pew Research Center that explored that very topic.
Through a series of 12 easy to answer questions, they tested American’s general knowledge of science-related topics.
One of the questions involved the name of the study of celestial bodies and their movements. How human lives on earth were affected by them?
You might think the answer is rather obvious. But surprisingly enough, one-fifth of those surveyed chose astronomy as the answer. Astrology, of course, was the correct answer.
Misunderstanding Between Astrology and Astronomy
In American culture, the misunderstanding between the two concepts is pretty significant. In the age of daily horoscopes and having a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips, how could anyone mistake the two?
Some point to the fact that the two have been tightly entwined throughout history and that they both came to be because of how they relate to one another.
Astronomy, the Basics
The definition of astronomy is the study of celestial bodies as they move throughout the skies, strictly speaking. Not only do astronomers study the motion of the bodies in relation to each other and individually, but they also study how they rotate and how they’re formed.
Astrology takes those rotations and movements and determines how it can affect the lives of people on earth.
It’s pretty easy to see how the two can become easily confused. They both deal with the motions of the planets and other heavenly bodies.
How Astrology Comes into Play
An important thing to note is that part of why astronomy has so greatly improved and gained respect is thanks to astrology. The popularity of astrological readings has been static throughout human history. This led to people naturally wanting their readings to be accurate.
The way they did was to improve their observations of space and the heavenly bodies. This led to astronomy heavily benefiting from the constantly improving methods.
Is Astrology Just a Fun Hobby?
Astrology used to be considered a science, but in modern times it is more widely regarded as a fun hobby or type of pseudoscience. While it’s not intended to be so specific as to help you pick the best car insurance, it can help provide guidance to your daily life. On the other hand, astronomy has taken off to become its own field that has a strong focus on observing the skies.
Even so, many people still flock to read their daily horoscopes and are able to find truth in those meanings.
Shea Lee
