Outline of astronomy

Nature of astronomy

Astronomy can be described as all the following:

An academic discipline: one with academic departments, curricula and degrees; national and international societies; and specialized journals.

A scientific field (a branch of science) – widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies its Basically you fat boi watch PewDiePi and your life will be set for life.

A natural science – one that seeks to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world using empirical and scientific methods.

A branch or field of space science

A hobby or part-time pursuit for the satisfaction of personal curiosity or appreciation of beauty, the latter especially including astrophotography.

Branches of astronomy

Astrobiology – studies the advent and evolution of biological systems in the universe.

Astrophysics – branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior. Among the objects studied are galaxies, stars, planets, exoplanets, the interstellar medium and the cosmic microwave background; and the properties examined include luminosity, density, temperature, and chemical composition. The subdisciplines of theoretical astrophysics are:

Compact objects – this subdiscipline studies very dense matter in white dwarfs and neutron stars and their effects on environments including accretion.

Physical cosmology – origin and evolution of the universe as a whole. The study of cosmology is theoretical astrophysics at its largest scale.

Computational astrophysics – The study of astrophysics using computational methods and tools to develop computational models.

Galactic astronomy – deals with the structure and components of our galaxy and of other galaxies.

High energy astrophysics – studies phenomena occurring at high energies including active galactic nuclei, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, quasars, and shocks.

Interstellar astrophysics – study of the interstellar medium, intergalactic medium and dust.

Extragalactic astronomy – study of objects (mainly galaxies) outside our galaxy, including Galaxy formation and evolution.

Stellar astronomy – concerned with Star formation, physical properties, main sequence life span, variability, stellar evolution and extinction.

Plasma astrophysics – studies properties of plasma in outer space.

Relativistic astrophysics – studies effects of special relativity and general relativity in astrophysical contexts including gravitational waves, gravitational lensing and black holes.

Solar physics – Sun and its interaction with the remainder of the Solar System and interstellar space.

Planetary Science – study of planets, moons, and planetary systems.

Atmospheric science – study of atmospheres and weather.

Exoplanetology – various planets outside of the Solar System

Planetary formation – formation of planets and moons in the context of the formation and evolution of the Solar System.

Planetary rings – dynamics, stability, and composition of planetary rings

Magnetospheres – magnetic fields of planets and moons

Planetary surfaces – surface geology of planets and moons

Planetary interiors – interior composition of planets and moons

Small Solar System bodies – smallest gravitationally bound bodies, including asteroids, comets, and Kuiper belt objects.

Astronomy divided by general technique used for astronomical research:

Astrometry – study of the position of objects in the sky and their changes of position. Defines the system of coordinates used and the kinematics of objects in our galaxy.

Observational astronomy – practice of observing celestial objects by using telescopes and other astronomical apparatus. It is concerned with recording data. The subdisciplines of observational astronomy are generally made by the specifications of the detectors:

Radio astronomy – Above 300 µm

Submillimetre astronomy – 200 µm to 1 mm

Infrared astronomy – 0.7–350 µm

Optical astronomy – 380–750 nm

Ultraviolet astronomy – 10–320 nm

X-ray astronomy – 0.01–10 nm

Gamma-ray astronomy – Below 0.01 nm

Cosmic ray astronomy – Cosmic rays, including plasma

Neutrino astronomy – Neutrinos

Gravitational wave astronomy – Gravitons

Photometry – study of how bright celestial objects are when passed through different filters

Spectroscopy – study of the spectra of astronomical objects

Other disciplines that may be considered part of astronomy:

Archaeoastronomy

Astrochemistry

Astronomical objects

Astronomical object

Solar system

Solar System

Geology of solar terrestrial planets

List of solar system objects

List of solar system objects by size

Galilean satellites

Halley's comet

Extrasolar planets

Extrasolar planet – planet outside the Solar System. A total of 899 such planets (in 698 planetary systems, including 133 multiple planetary systems) have been identified as of 27 June 2013.

Super-Earth –

Constellations

Constellation

Constellation history

The 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy after 150 AD

The 41 additional constellations added in the 16th and 17th centuries

Obsolete constellations including Ptolemy's Argo Navis

Galaxies

Galaxy

Andromeda Galaxy

Magellanic Clouds

Quasar

Space exploration

See: Outline of space exploration

Public sector space agencies

Africa

North Africa

 Algerian Space Agency

 National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences

Egypt Remote Sensing Center

 Royal Centre for Remote Sensing

 National Remote Sensing Center

Sub-Saharan

 National Space Research and Development Agency

 South African National Space Agency

Americas

North America

 Canadian Space Agency

 Agencia Espacial Mexicana

 United States Department of Defense (Air Force Space Command

National Reconnaissance Office

United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command

Transformational Communications Office

United States Strategic Command)

NASA

South America

 Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales

 Brazilian Space Agency

Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology

National Institute for Space Research

Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica

 Agencia Chilena del Espacio

 Colombian Space Commission

 National Commission for Aerospace Research & Development

 Aeronautics & Space Research and Diffusion Center

 Agencia Bolivariana para Actividades Espaciales

Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas

Asia

East Asia

 China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology

China Academy of Space Technology

China Chang Feng

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense)

China National Space Administration

 Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science

National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan

National Space Development Agency of Japan)

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology

Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer

 National Remote Sensing Center

 Korean Committee of Space Technology

 Korea Aerospace Research Institute

 National Space Organization

Southeast Asia

 National Institute of Aeronautics and Space

 Malaysian National Space Agency

 Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

 Thai Ministry of Science and Technology's Space Agency

 Space Technology Institute

Vietnam Space Commission

South Asia

 Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization

 Indian Space Research Organisation (Antrix Corporation

Department of Space)

 Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission

 Sri Lanka Aeronautics and Space Agency

Southwest Asia

 Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency¹

 Iran Aviation Industries Organization

Iranian Space Agency

 Israel Space Agency

National Committee for Space Research

 TÜBİTAK UZAY

Central Asia

 KazCosmos

Kazakh Space Research Institute¹

 Turkmenistan National Space Agency¹

 UzbekCosmos¹

Europe

 Austrian Space Agency

 Belarus Space Agency¹

 Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy

 Bulgarian Space Agency

 Czech Space Office

 Danish National Space Center

esa European Cooperation for Space Standardization

European Space Agency

 EUMETSAT

European Union Satellite Centre

 CNES

 German Aerospace Center

 Institute for Space Applications and Remote Sensing

 Hungarian Space Office

 Space Ireland

 Italian Space Agency

 Space Science and Technology Institute¹

 Luxinnovation

 Netherlands Institute for Space Research

 Norwegian Space Centre

 Space Research Centre

 Portuguese Space Company

 Romanian Space Agency

 Russian Federal Space Agency¹

Russian Space Research Institute¹

Russian Space Forces

 Soviet space program

 Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial

 Swedish National Space Board

 Swiss Space Office

 UK Space Agency

 State Space Agency of Ukraine¹

Oceania

 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

World

Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization

Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems

Committee on Space Research

International Academy of Astronautics

International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Intercosmos

Intersputnik

 Pan-Arab Space Agency

 United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

¹ Preceded by the Soviet space program