Early advances in astronomy can be traced back to the Babyloni an, Egyptian, Greek, and Chinese cultures. When we examine our galaxy, we not only see objects beaming light to us from more than a million light years away, but we also see an expanding universe of celestial bodies that are racing away from us at incredible speeds to unknown destinations. Various cosmic phenomena such as pulsars, quasars, x-ray stars, and radio galaxies raise questions as to how we fit into the universe. Astronomers strive to answer these questions as new instruments and scientific methods are developed to examine the cosmos. Specific areas of astronomical study are usually determined by a scientist's interest and the available equipment.
Cosmology investigates the overall structure of the universe.
Radio astronomy studies celestial objects by the measurement and analysis of their emitted electromagnetic radiation. The Science of Radio Astronomy Radio astronomy is a relatively new science. His research uncovered radio noise emitted by the Milky Way, and his discovery, combined with advances in radar during World War II, opened the way for the development of powerful radio telescopes to locate and map the sources of radio waves in space. Since no single scientific instrument can meet all the observational requirements to study the radio sky, astronomers must use a variety of equipment, such as radio telescopes and other radar equipment, to analyze electromagnetic waves. All telescopes col lect electromagnetic waves, but in different forms.