Speakers: GSU Astrophysics Ph.D. Candidates Emma Galligan & Maura Shea

Ancient Astronomy Part I: Greek and Mesopotamian Astronomy - How Mythology Became a Science

Astronomy is perhaps the world’s oldest science, with the earliest known detailed astronomical records dating as far back as 1800 BC. Astronomy had multiple purposes in ancient cultures. Perhaps most well-known is the use of astronomy in a cultural sense – using the positions and motions of celestial objects for storytelling and to explain the unexplained. However, for practical purposes, the cyclic motions of celestial objects were used to track the changing of the seasons for agriculture. Over time, astronomy became less about mythology and more about mathematically unravelling the secrets of the heavens. In this talk, we’ll delve into the impacts of astronomy in ancient Mesopotamia and Greece, both culturally and scientifically.

(http://astro.gsu.edu/~jrob/).

No tickets required. Just show up, grab a beer, and learn about cool stuff!