Ah, astronomy. The so-called "crown jewel" of the sciences. The field that dares to look up at the infinite void of space and say, "Yeah, we totally know what's going on up there." Except, spoiler alert: we don't.
For centuries, astronomers have been peering through telescopes, scribbling equations, and naming random rocks after Roman gods, all while pretending they’ve got the universe figured out. But here's the thing: astronomy is basically just a giant cosmic guessing game. And the best part? They pass off their guesses as facts.
Let's dive into the absurdity, shall we?
Theories Facts
First, let's talk about theories. In astronomy, a "theory" is basically a fancy way of saying, "We think this is how it works, but we're not really sure." Take the Big Bang Theory, for example. It's the leading explanation for how the universe began, but it's still just a theory. Yet, it's taught in schools as if someone was there 13.8 billion years ago with a stopwatch and a clipboard.
Dark matter? Dark energy? Oh, you mean the invisible stuff that makes up 95% of the universe but can't be directly observed? Sure, sounds legit. Astronomers will tell you they've "proven" its existence because their math doesn't work without it. That's like saying, "I lost my car keys, so they must have been stolen by a ghost."
And then we have black holes. For decades, we were told that nothing, not even light, can escape a black hole. Then, out of nowhere, astronomers were like, "Oh wait, actually, stuff can fly out of black holes. Our bad." So, which is it? Are black holes cosmic vacuum cleaners, or are they just space's version of a malfunctioning Roomba?
Pluto
Remember when Pluto was a planet? Good times. Then, in 2006, a group of astronomers got together and decided, by vote, that Pluto didn't make the cut anymore. That's right, Pluto's planetary status wasn't determined by some groundbreaking discovery or new evidence. It was decided by a glorified popularity contest.
Imagine if we applied this logic to other sciences. "We've decided, by vote, that gravity is no longer a thing. Everyone, start floating!"
And the criteria they used to demote Pluto? It didn't "clear its orbit." Well, guess what? Neither does Earth, technically. But you don't see anyone kicking Earth out of the planetary club.
The Universe, I guess
Astronomy loves to act like it's got all the answers, but the universe keeps throwing curveballs. For example, we used to think the universe was expanding at a steady rate. Then we found out it's actually accelerating. Why? Nobody knows. Astronomers just shrug and say, "Dark energy, probably."
Or how about the fact that we keep discovering new moons, planets, and even galaxies? Every time we build a bigger telescope, we find something we didn't know existed. It's like the universe is playing hide-and-seek with us, and we're losing.
And let's not forget the James Webb Space Telescope, the shiny new toy that's supposed to answer all our questions about the cosmos. Instead, it's just raising more questions. Like, "Why do some galaxies look older than they should?" and "Are we even sure the Big Bang... happened?"
The End
At the end of the day, astronomy is a humbling reminder that we know jack-squat about not only the universe, but basically everything. Sure, we've made some cool discoveries, like exoplanets and gravitational waves (still technically a theory though ;)). But for every answer we find, we uncover ten more questions.
So, the next time an astronomer tells you they've "proven" something about the universe, just smile and nod. Because chances are, in a few years, they'll change their minds.
Epilouge
As much as it sounds like I utterly despise this field, the polar opposite is true. After Computer Science, Astronomy is right there in my favorite sciences, this was just my take on how, like many fields, it's not as defined as many say. But that's okay!
Astronomy isn't a farce because it's useless or unimportant. It's a farce because it's a field built on uncertainty, speculation, and the occasional wild guess. And honestly? That's what makes it so fascinating.
Best regards,
73