Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial entities. This study includes objects such as stars and planets. It also includes comets, nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies.

The field of astronomy covers phenomena outside of Earth’s atmosphere. An example of such a phenomenon is cosmic background radiation. This scientific exploration helps us understand the wider universe.

The primary focus of astronomy is observation and description. Astronomers observe the characteristics of the universe. This focus differs from astrophysics. Astrophysics explains the physics behind astronomical phenomena.