View source for Astronomy

[[File:Yoann Boissonnet Bronze LinkII.png|thumb|400px|A [[maester]] may use a [[Myrish eye]] to study astronomy. Art by Yoann Boissonnet © Fantasy Flight Games]]
'''Astronomy''' is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena.<ref>[[w:astronomy|Wikipedia: Astronomy]]</ref> In the [[known world]], astronomy plays a role in [[Measurement|keeping track of time]], as well as in [[religion]].

The [[bronze]] link of a [[maester]]'s chain{{Ref|AGOT|41}}{{Ref|AGOT|20}} likely symbolizes his expertise in either astronomy or astrology.{{Refn|group="N"|[[Archmaester]] [[Vaellyn]], whose mask, rod, and ring are [[bronze]],{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}} judges those wishing to demonstrate knowledge of the heavens,{{Ref|AFFC|0}} and he is also described as "the stargazer".{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}}}} Maester [[Nicol]] has studied the movement of the stars,{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Long Night}} and Maester [[Luwin]], in service at [[Winterfell]] during the rule of Lord [[Eddard Stark]], has a [[Myrish lens tube]] through which he looks at stars in the sky.{{Ref|AGOT|66}} Maester Luwin taught the [[House Stark|Stark]] children about the stars, including "the names of the twelve houses of heaven and the rulers of each", the [[seven wanderers]], and the [[constellations]].{{Ref|ASOS|26}}

==The Sun and Moon==
[[File:House Tarth.svg|right|thumb|350px|The [[sigil]] of [[House Tarth]] depicts the [[sun]] and [[moon]].]]
In the known world, a year is the length of a solar cycle, how long it takes the earth to make one complete revolution around the [[sun]].{{Ref|SSM|2997}}{{Ref|SSM|1034}} The world is also orbited by a [[moon]], in a similar fashion to Earth's, which revolves around the world twelve times a year.{{Ref|SSM|2997}} As on Earth, a year is measured by determining the position of the sun, moon, and stars.{{Ref|SSM|1034}}

The known world experiences extremely long [[seasons]] of varying length, usually lasting at least a couple of years each. It is known that the [[Measurement|daytime period]] is correlated with the seasons. Towards the end of [[Summer (season)|summer]], the days start to grow shorter,{{Ref|AGOT|21}} a trend which continues through [[autumn]].{{Ref|AFFC|20}}{{Ref|ADWD|21}} The end of a season is determined by the [[Conclave]] of the [[Citadel]], who base their conclusion on the measurements and reports of maesters all over the [[Seven Kingdoms]].{{Ref|ACOK|0}}

In his ''[[The Measure of the Days]]'', Maester [[Nicol]] argues, based upon his studies on the movement of stars, that the seasons possibly were once of a regular length, determined by the way in which the globe faces the sun. According to Maester [[Yandel]], however, although the notion appears to be true, Nicol has not been able to find any evidence that regular seasons were once the case, beyond the most ancient of tales.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Long Night}}

The [[Qartheen]] believe that there were once two moons in the sky. This second moon supposedly came too close to the sun and cracked like an egg hatching, releasing a million [[dragon]]s.{{Ref|AGOT|23}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Rise of Valyria}} The [[Dothraki]] believe that the moon is a goddess, wife to the sun.{{Ref|AGOT|23}} A Dothraki husband may refer to his wife as "moon of my life", to which she responds, calling him "my sun-and-stars".{{Ref|AGOT|46}}

In the faith of [[R'hllor]], the Lord of Light, the [[red priest]]s and other followers pray before a nightfire, thanking R'hllor for ending the day, while beseeching him to bring the dawn and banish the darkness.{{Ref|ASOS|63}} The nightfires are lit at sunset.{{Ref|ASOS|63}}{{Ref|AGOT|3}} Fires are also lit each morning at first light, where the red priests welcome the sun.{{Ref|AFFC|0}} Other red priests might attend to their fires during the entire night.{{Ref|ADWD|33}} A common phrase in this faith is "the night is dark and full of terrors".{{Ref|ACOK|0}}{{Ref|AFFC|0}} A typical prayer includes the sequence,
{{lyrics|
Yours is the sun that warms our days, yours the stars that guard us in the dark of night.
:(Lord of Light, defend us. The night is dark and full of terrors. Lord of Light, protect us.) 
R'hllor who gave us breath, we thank you. R'hllor who gave us day, we thank you. 
:(We thank you for the sun that warms us. We thank you for the stars that watch us. 
:We thank you for our hearths and for our torches, that keep the savage dark at bay.){{Ref|ASOS|63}}<ref group="N">The sentences in parentheses are responses from worshippers present at the nightfire.</ref>}}

==Stars and Constellations==
[[File:House Langward.svg|right|thumb|350px|The sigil of [[House Langward]] depicts the [[King's Crown]] constellation.]]
[[Myrish eye]]s mounted on tripods can be used to observe the stars.{{ref|ASOS|69}} There are also dedicated observatories, including one kept at [[Winterfell]] by [[Luwin]].{{ref|AGOT|5}} The maesters of the Citadel compile star charts for their research and studies.{{Ref|AGOT|66}} Knowledge of the stars is useful in ocean navigation,{{ref|AGOT|66}} in particular the constellations of the [[Galley (constellation)|Galley]] and the [[Crone's Lantern]], and the star that is the eye of the [[Ice Dragon (constellation)|Ice Dragon]] constellation.{{Ref|ASOS|63}}

The [[Dothraki]] believe that the stars are the souls of the deceased, their brightness depending on their deeds during their lives.{{Ref|AGOT|72}} 

Constellations are the names given to a group of stars linked close together. They usually represent some sort of picture, but what this picture depicts may vary between different cultures. The [[free folk]] have many of the same names for constellations as the people of the [[Seven Kingdoms]], although there are some differences. The [[King's Crown]] is named the Cradle by them, and the [[Stallion (constellation)|Stallion]] is named the Horned Lord.{{Ref|ASOS|26}}

===Known constellations===
Names for only ten major constellations have been mentioned so far. There may be as many as twelve, if the constellations and the "houses of heaven" correspond to each other.

* [[Crone's Lantern]]{{Ref|ASOS|63}}{{Ref|TSS}}
* [[Galley (constellation)|Galley]]{{Ref|ASOS|63}}{{Ref|TSS}}
* [[Ghost (constellation)|Ghost]]{{Ref|TSS}}
* [[Ice Dragon (constellation)|Ice Dragon]]{{Ref|ASOS|63}}{{Ref|TSS}}
* [[King's Crown]]{{Ref|TSS}} (also known as the Cradle among the [[free folk]]){{Ref|ASOS|26}}
* [[Moonmaid]]{{Ref|ASOS|26}}{{Ref|TSS}}
* [[Shadowcat (constellation)|Shadowcat]]{{Ref|ASOS|26}}
* [[Sow]]{{Ref|TSS}}
* [[Stallion (constellation)|Stallion]]{{Ref|TSS}} (also known as the Horned Lord among the [[free folk]]){{Ref|ASOS|26}}
* [[Sword of the Morning (constellation)|Sword of the Morning]]{{Ref|ASOS|26}}

==Planets and Other Moving Objects==
[[File:Dunk.svg|right|thumb|350px|The sigil of [[Duncan the Tall]] depicts a shooting star.]]
There are [[seven wanderers]] in the sky over the known world, each of which are sacred to the [[Faith of the Seven]] and associated with one of [[the Seven|the seven gods]].{{Ref|ASOS|26}} Each wanderer may be a planet, as the word "planet" is derived from the [[w:Greek|Greek]] word [[wikt:πλανήτης|πλανῆται]] (''planētai'', which means "wanderers" or "wandering stars").<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/planet Definition of planet by Merriam-Webster] (retrieved on May 19, 2018)</ref><ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/planet Define Planet at Dictionary.com] (retrieved on May 19, 2018)</ref> On Earth, the seven planets of antiquity included the Sun and Moon.<ref>[[w:Classical planet|Wikipedia: Classical planet]]</ref>

One of the seven wanderers is the [[red wanderer]], considered by the Faith of the Seven to be sacred to [[Smith (the Seven)|the Smith]].{{Ref|ASOS|26}} Among the [[free folk]], the red wanderer is known as the Thief.{{Ref|ASOS|26}}{{Ref|AFFC|15}}{{Ref|ADWD|35}}

Beyond these seven wanderers, other "wandering stars" have also been known to appear, such as comets and [[w:Meteoroid#Meteors|falling (or shooting) stars]]. 
* According to legend, over ten thousand years ago,{{ref|AFFC|21}} the founder of [[House Dayne]] tracked a falling star to an island at the mouth of the [[Torentine]], and discovered there a stone with magical powers. The castle of [[Starfall]] was constructed on that location,{{ref|TWOIAF|Dorne: Kingdoms of the First Men}} and the Dayne ancestral greatsword, [[Dawn]], was forged from the heart of this fallen star.{{ref|ACOK|21}}
* Ser [[Duncan the Tall]] spotted a green shooting star in the sky outside [[Ashford]] in {{Date|209}}, and made it part of his [[sigil]].{{Ref|THK}}
* A comet was seen above [[King's Landing]] in {{Date|281}}.{{Ref|AFFC|35}}
* A [[red comet]] appears in the sky over [[Westeros]] and [[Essos]] in {{Date|299}}.{{Ref|ACOK|6}}{{Ref|AGOT|66}}{{Ref|AGOT|72}}

Seeing a falling star is considered to bring luck.{{Ref|THK}} The [[prince that was promised]] is [[prophecy|prophesied]] to be born beneath a "bleeding star",{{Ref|AFFC|45}} which some believe to be a comet.{{Ref|AFFC|35}} [[Azor Ahai]] is prophesied to be reborn when "the red star bleeds".{{Ref|ASOS|25}}

==Behind the Scenes==
There was some attempt during the writing of ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'' to commission an artist's illustration of the major constellations and the houses of heaven known to the Maesters of the Citadel, but due to various complications the project was eventually dropped.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/2kgg2o/spoilers_all_ama_with_authors_of_the_world_of_ice/ Reddit AMA, March 2015]</ref>

==Notes==
{{Notes}}

==References==
{{References}}

[[Category:Astronomy| ]]
[[Category:Science and technology]]

[[es:Astronomía]]
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[[ru:Астрономия]]