browse words by letter
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
more about astronomy
astronomy |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Astronomy \As*tron"o*my\, n. [OE. astronomie, F. astronomie, L. astronomia, fr Gr ?, fr ? astronomer; 'asth`r star + ? to distribute, regulate. See {Star}, and {Nomad}.] 1. Astrology. [Obs.] Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck; And yet methinks I have astronomy. --Shak. 2. The science which treats of the celestial bodies, of their magnitudes, motions, distances, periods of revolution, eclipses, constitution, physical condition, and of the causes of their various phenomena. 3. A treatise on or text-book of the science. {Physical astronomy}. See under {Physical}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: astronomy n : the branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole [syn: {uranology}] From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: Astronomy The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of the starry firmanent (Amos 5:8; Ps 19). In the Book of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible in all probability, the constellations are distinguished and named Mention is made of the "morning star" (Rev. 2:28; comp. Isa. 14:12), the "seven stars" and "Pleiades," "Orion," "Arcturus," the "Great Bear" (Amos 5:8; Job 9:9; 38:31), "the crooked serpent," Draco (Job 26:13), the Dioscuri or Gemini, "Castor and Pollux" (Acts 28:11). The stars were called "the host of heaven" (Isa. 40:26; Jer. 33:22). The oldest divisions of time were mainly based on the observation of the movements of the heavenly bodies, the "ordinances of heaven" (Gen. 1:14-18; Job 38:33; Jer. 31:35; 33:25). Such observations led to the division of the year into months and the mapping out of the appearances of the stars into twelve portions, which received from the Greeks the name of the "zodiac." The word Mazzaroth" (Job 38:32) means as the margin notes, "the twelve signs" of the zodiac. Astronomical observations were also necessary among the Jews in order to the fixing of the proper time for sacred ceremonies, the "new moons," the "passover," etc Many allusions are found to the display of God's wisdom and power as seen in the starry heavens (Ps. 8; 19:1-6; Isa. 51:6, etc.)
more about astronomy
This work is licensed under a
