Astrometry

Syllabus Requirements

2. Careful measurement of a celestial object’s position in the sky (astrometry) may be used to determine its distance

Physics Stage 6 Syllabus © Copyright 2002 The State of New South Wales (Board of Studies).

What is Astrometry?

Astrometry is perhaps the oldest of all branches of Astronomy. It is the branch concerned with the accurate measurement of the positions and proper motion of celestial objects such as stars. Hipparchus (c 130 BC) combined the arithmetical astronomy of the Babylonians with the geometrical approach of the Greeks to develop a model for solar and lunar motions. He also compiled a catalogue of the stars and established a method for comparing brightnesses.

Why though is astrometry still important today? To find out, follow the link.

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