What is astronomy

astronomy is a fascinating and complex field of study

that encompasses everything from the smallest
particles to the largest structures in the universe.
Whether seeking to understand the properties and
behaviour of celestial objects, the processes that
govern their formation and evolution, or the search for
extra-terrestrial life, astronomers continue to make
important discoveries that push the boundaries of
human knowledge and understanding. The study of
astronomy will continue to be a vital and exciting field
of study for generations to come.

Dating back to ancient times when people first looked

up into the skies and wondered about the stars and
other celestial bodies. Today, astronomy remains a
vibrant and exciting field of study that continues to
reveal new insights into the workings of the universe.
One of the key areas of study in astronomy
is the observation and classification of celestial objects.
Astronomers use telescopes to observe stars, planets,
galaxies, and other objects in space.
Celestial objects can be classified in many different
ways, depending on their properties and
characteristics. Here are some common ways that
astronomers classify celestial objects

1. Stars
Stars are classified based on their temperature, size,
composition, and brightness. The most common
classification system is the spectral classification
system, which categorizes stars based on their
spectral type (O, B, A, F, G, K, M) and luminosity class
(I, II, III, IV, V). the light and other signals emitted by
these objects
2. Planets
are classified
based on their
composition,
size, and
distance from
their host star.
The
International
Astronomical
Union (IAU) has
defined three
criteria for a
celestial object
to be considered a planet: it must orbit a star,
it must be large enough to have a spherical shape,
and it must have cleared its orbit of other debris.
Example- our own planet earth and 8 others.
key difference between a planet and a dwarf planet is
the kinds of objects that share its orbit around the Sun.
Pluto, for example, has not cleared its orbit of similar
objects while Earth or Jupiter have no similarly-sized
worlds on the same path around the Sun. Like planets,
dwarf planets are generally round (Haumea looks like
an overinflated football) and orbit the Sun.
3. Galaxies:
a system of millions or billions of stars, together with
gas and dust, held together by gravitational attraction.

Galaxies are
classified based on their shape, including spiral,
elliptical, and irregular. Spiral galaxies have a central
bulge surrounded by spiral arms, while elliptical
galaxies are shaped like ellipsoids and have no spiral
structure. Irregular galaxies have no well-defined
shape.
4. Nebulae:
Nebulae are classified based on their composition and
appearance. Some common types of nebulae include
emission nebulae, which emit light

due to
ionization of gas, reflection nebulae, which reflect light
from nearby stars, and dark nebulae, which appear as
dark patches against a bright background due to the
absorption of light by dust.
5. Black holes
Black holes are classified based on their mass and
the amount of material they are consuming. Stellar
black holes are formed from the collapse of a
single massive star and have masses ranging from
a few to tens of times that of the sun.
Supermassive black holes, found at the centres of
galaxies, have masses ranging from millions to
billions of times that of the sun.