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  1. Astronomy | Definition, History, Discoveries, & Facts | Britannica

    Dec 19, 2025 · Astronomy, science that encompasses the study of all extraterrestrial objects and phenomena. Since the late 19th century, astronomy has expanded to include astrophysics, the …

  2. Definition, Planets, Diagram, Videos, & Facts - Britannica

    Jan 3, 2026 · The Sun, Moon, and brightest planets were visible to the naked eyes of ancient astronomers, and their observations and calculations of the movements of these bodies gave …

  3. astronomy - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help

    The study of astronomy involves all of the objects outside Earth’s atmosphere. These include the Sun, Moon, planets, stars, galaxies, and all other matter in the universe.

  4. Dark matter | Definition, Discovery, Distribution, & Facts | Britannica

    Jan 1, 2026 · The rate at which galaxies and large structures composed of galaxies coalesced from density fluctuations in the early universe indicates that the nonbaryonic dark matter is …

  5. Solstice | Definition & Facts | Britannica

    Earth's orbit Earth is on average approximately 149.6 million km (about 92.96 million miles) away from the Sun. Earth's orbit around the Sun is nearly circular, with one full orbit marking the …

  6. Ecliptic | Definition, Facts, Obliquity, & Zodiac | Britannica

    ecliptic, in astronomy, the great circle that is the apparent path of the Sun among the constellations in the course of a year; from another viewpoint, the projection on the celestial …

  7. Parallax | Astronomy, Optics & Measurement | Britannica

    Parallax, in astronomy, the difference in direction of a celestial object as seen by an observer from two widely separated points. The measurement of parallax is used directly to find the distance …

  8. Astronomy Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

    ASTRONOMY meaning: the scientific study of stars, planets, and other objects in outer space

  9. Astronomy - Techniques, Observations, Measurements | Britannica

    Dec 19, 2025 · Astronomy - Techniques, Observations, Measurements: Astronomical observations involve a sequence of stages, each of which may impose constraints on the type …

  10. Luminosity | Brightness, Magnitude & Intensity | Britannica

    luminosity, in astronomy, the amount of light emitted by an object in a unit of time. The luminosity of the Sun is 3.846 × 10 26 watts (or 3.846 × 10 33 ergs per second). Luminosity is an …