Our Place in the Universe What Our Ancestors Saw

You’re Alone In A Ship On The Ocean Look up…look way up Now which way is home ?

What Our Ancestors Saw For thousands of years humans have used the sky as a source of information. –Time of day –Date –Weather –Position on earth –Tides –When to plant –When to harvest

Farmers took their cues from changes in the “celestial bodies” Sailors navigated the vast voyages by navigating by the stars Political and religious leaders often made important decisions based on observations of the sky.

Ancient Cultures Many cultures based large parts of their societies on the sky. Astrologers were important people in many societies. People believed that their destinies could be told in the stars.

So…what is going on up there? Many different cultures had their own accounts about how the celestrial bodies were formed. –Hindu…seven wise men … Pleiades –Native North Americans … Ursa Major –Greeks … Orion the Hunter

Let’s Take A Look At A Few

Orion The Hunter

Ursa Major - The Bear

Ursa Minor