Astronomy and astrology are two fields that seek to learn more about the stars, although they do so from completely opposite perspectives. One represents superstition, while the other is a reflection of scientific progress.
It is common that, when we hear two phonetically similar words, we tend to use them interchangeably, as if they were synonyms. This is the case of astronomy and astrology, which, although they are two different concepts, are still often confused . The truth is that both share their relationship with the world of the stars, although there are still many points of discrepancy.
In this way, astronomy and astrology have different methodologies, objectives and applications, so it is necessary to discriminate which is which. As is the case with many disciplines, in their origins both were merged, although advances meant that over time each one took its own path. This translates into the fact that, at present, we speak of opposite spheres in many essential questions. In this article we are going to talk about the key differences between these two areas related to the stars.
- We recommend you read: “The 3 differences between Alchemy and Chemistry (explained)”
What is astronomy?
Astronomy is defined as the science that deals with the study of the stars or celestial bodies , analyzing aspects of physics such as their position, structure and movements, in order to know outer space in detail. This discipline uses the scientific method, which is based on information received in the form of electromagnetic radiation or particles (radio waves, visible light, infrared…).
Astronomy comprises two main aspects. On the one hand, classical astronomy, which focuses on studying what is called celestial mechanics. Thus, it focuses on the analysis of the positions and movements of the stars. On the other hand, there is astrophysics, which is aimed at the study of the origin and evolution of the stars. This branch of astronomy is the most powerful today, which is why you may hear about astrophysics as a discipline with its own entity and not just as part of astronomy.
- We recommend you read: “The 8 planets of the solar system (and their characteristics)”
What is astrology?
Astrology is not, unlike astronomy, a recognized science. Instead, it has been called a pseudoscientific belief , as there is no evidence to support its premises. Although it also seeks to study and learn about the astral position and movements, it does not do so from the same perspective.
According to this approach, the way in which the stars are configured in space is closely related to terrestrial events and the lives of human beings. In this way, knowing these aspects of the sky has a predictive purpose, since the stars are conceived as signals that warn of the near future, although they can also reveal past aspects of individuals.
Astronomy and astrology: how are they different?
Now that we have defined what astronomy and astrology are respectively, we are going to discuss the main differences between them.
1. Astronomy is a science, astrology is not
Astronomy is a discipline that tries to understand the mechanics and evolution of the stars using the scientific method, which is why it is based on logic and deduction. Being a science, it draws on other disciplines such as mathematics or physics and is only based on what can be seen and demonstrated. The conclusions that astronomers draw are derived from an actual observational process and are therefore empirically valid.
By contrast, astrology is a pseudoscientific field, whose premises lack supporting evidence. For this reason, it has an almost mystical character, where reality is not analyzed by applying the rigor of science, but rather intuition and interpretation . All this means that only the findings of astronomy are reliable. Astrology is only a set of superstitious beliefs, so in no case can it be granted the status of science.
2. Purpose
In the case of astronomy, it is a science whose ultimate goal is to know the universe that surrounds us. From this scientific view of the stars, an attempt is made to reduce the uncertainty regarding outer space, a world still very unknown to human beings that has generated enormous interest for centuries. In this way, astronomers try to study phenomena such as eclipses, meteorites or comets.
Instead, astrology aims to find clues that allow us to understand the past and predict the future of people . The stars are not the end in itself, but a means to improve people’s lives. Therefore, it is a pseudoscience focused on our species and not on the universe itself.
3. Means used
Another difference between astronomy and astrology has to do with the means and tools that each uses. In the case of astronomy, this science uses means such as telescopes, detectors and other tools, since thanks to them it is possible to better understand space, discover new stars and observe phenomena that occur in the universe.
On the contrary, in the case of astrology, the signs of the zodiac or the maps of the sky are used in order to create the so-called astrological charts. In theory, these are used to predict the future, make predictions and build horoscopes.
Relationship between astronomy and astrology
Although we have reviewed all the differences between the two areas, the truth is that centuries ago these were undifferentiated. At first, there was only astrology, which encompassed the entire study of the astral world, celestial mechanics and the influence of these phenomena on the human species.
However, everything changed in the 16th century, when the scientific method began to be applied and different tools such as the telescope were developed. This leads to the emergence of a branch within astrology that tries to follow the model of the sciences, giving rise to what we know today as astronomy.
That is why astrology is not considered a science, since it does not apply the scientific method to draw its conclusions. On the other hand, in the world of astronomy, all hypotheses are subjected to a rigorous process of empirical verification, which means that this field allows us to reliably know the universe that surrounds us.
In this way, the most decisive difference between both areas is the use or not of the scientific method. Over the centuries astronomy has gained weight and seriousness, while astrology has remained a field linked to superstition, mysticism and divination. At present there are not a few detractors of astrology , since its premises seem almost ridiculous in the eyes of those who have already been born into a scientific world.
Conclusions
In this article we have talked about the differences between two fields that are usually confused: astronomy and astrology. Centuries ago, astrology was the only existing field that studied the universe and the stars . The motivation pursued with this was to relate the configuration of the sky with the destiny and life of people.
This was an area fraught with mysticism, superstition, and intuition, where simple beliefs were seen as a reliable guide to divine events to come. However, astrology did not use the scientific method, so its premises were never subjected to formal verification.
The 16th century was key in this sense, since at this moment in history a revolution began by which the scientific method was developed. In this way, within the world of astrology, some authors chose to study the sky with this new approach. That is to say, they stopped seeing in the stars a means of divination to consider it an end in itself.
Gradually, this turn gave rise to what we know today as astronomy. This is, unlike astrology, a recognized science. In this way, it is governed by scientific standards and draws conclusions derived from the empirical verification of its hypotheses .
At present, differentiating both fields is of great importance, since they are totally opposite. Although in both cases it is about knowing the stars and the configuration of the sky, the approach of each one is radically different from the other. Astronomy aims to better understand the universe in which we find ourselves, as this is still a great unknown to our species.
However, astronomy only finds in the stars a means to achieve its true purpose, which is to guess and predict the future of individuals. Therefore, the means used in each case will not have much to do with it either. In the world of astronomy, increasingly advanced technical means are used , such as high-power telescopes. However, astrology uses tools linked to the magical and mystical world, such as sky maps or astrological charts.
This head-on clash between astronomy and astrology has led to the latter being strongly criticized. In today’s world, the scientific perspective is undoubtedly the predominant one, since advances have favored the understanding of this path as the only possible one for accurate knowledge. Thus, there are fewer and fewer who place their trust in astrological premises, which lack validity and are therefore not demonstrable.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.