[HPforGrownups] Re: Why Astronomy?

[Diana Williams]

No: HPFGUIDX 91898

>
> Honey:
> What the Hogwarts students are studying in Astronomy doesn't seem to
> be related to muggle astronomy at all. Astronomers study things like
> the geology of planets and the physics of star formation and how
> astronomical observations support or disprove theories about the
> formation of the universe. Astrologers make star charts, not
> astronomers. Thus, the Hogwarts "Astronomy" class is very likely to be
> related to requirements for specific potions or charms, or for
> Divination or Arithmancy (i.e. Divination using numbers), rather than
> for any muggle-y sort of use.
>
> Neri now:
> Actually, Wizard astronomy seems to be very up-to-date with the
> latest scientific knowledge. They got the details about Jupiter's
> moons (including Io's geology) exactly right, as we learn from the
> essay for Prof. Sinistra in OotP. Check out this page from the
> website of NASA:
> http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/02jul_harrypotter.html
>
> Of course, wizard astronomy might actually be much more advanced than
> muggle astronomy. The possibilities are mind-boggling: enlargement

I took two semesters of Astronomy in college, and what they were doing is
exactly what I was doing in the 2nd semester.  The first semester was a big
lecture hall where we learned about black holes and the formation of the
universe.  The second semester was all practical work - learning about the
phases of the moon and how to chart them, learning and charting the orbits
of the planets, etc.

Diana W.