Applications of Astronomy in Daily Life

What is Astronomy?

When sitting by the window and staring out to the sky, have you ever wondered what else might be out there? Astronomy is an area of study that deals with celestial objects, space, and physical objects as a whole. This branch of science is so vast that there are near infinite possibilities and applications to how it can affect our day-to-day lives. Some instances include:

1) Satellite services in mobiles and communications

Mobiles and data communications is one of the fastest developing sectors currently. It has reached a point where imagining a world with no phones, no television, no internet and no GPS is unthinkable, and to some, unlivable. You don’t need to be an expert in the subject to know that satellites are used for data communications and navigation systems. This is done through a portable wireless technology with satellite communications between the satellite and earth stations.

2) Climate Study

Has it ever crossed your mind how your phone can magically predict the weather for the next week? Astronomy plays an important role in Meteorology (the study of atmospheric effects on our weather). This is done by observing the angle of the sun, moon, stars and the earth.

3) Military and Law Enforcement

Astronomy also has a huge significance when it comes to military and law enforcement. It is common knowledge that NASA, VISAR and other research facilities provide new technology and equipment to the military. EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) is something that parties take into account because it has the ability to disrupt electrical circuits and cause malfunctions of satellites and aircraft.

4) Health

Did you know that the International Space Station (ISS) now plays host to an experiment that could help scientists unlock the mysteries of Alzheimer's disease? Without astronomy, advances in x-ray imaging would not have been possible as well. These sensors were first used in astronomy back in 1976 for capturing images of celestial bodies. 

There are other numerous applications of astronomy and astrophysics being used in our daily schedules, but the ones mentioned are the key four points in my opinion. But a mere mention or small description is nowhere near enough to explain its effect and use in society, and so I will be talking about it in detail in the days to come.

Overall, I hope that everyone who reads this realizes that astronomy is still a new and exciting concept for all age groups. It's never too late to be interested and we can all fall in love with astronomy together.