Why was seeing objects in the sky easier for people in ancient cultures than it is for most people today?

Question

Don't answer if you don't know, please.

Answer 1

It is very simple, First and foremost they had much less light pollution. Try going out to the middle of nowhere and park your car and look up, you won't believe the number of stars that you will see. Second, Ancient cultures had far fewer distraction than we do today. How many people do you know that spend even one hour one night a week looking at the stars? Probably not too many. Instead we are on the internet, visiting others, watching TV etc...

Answer 2

All in all, we modern types do a much better job of observing and explaining the cosmos. Whereas ancient astronomy was limited to observing the visible light emitted by celestial objects, we can detect visible, radio, infrared, ultra-violet, x-ray, and gamma radiation from objects. Also, our orbiting observatories like Hubble, Chandra, and the James Webb (soon) space telescopes let us view stars without interference from the atmosphere. Even from the ground, modern technology has wrought "adaptive optics," which can actually correct for atmospheric interference of visible light.

But, in a way, the average Babylonian had a much easier time seeing into space than the average American. The answer is "light pollution." From a "dark sky" location away from artificial light, you can see entire galaxies with just the naked eye. From my backyard, I can barely see Andromeda with my telescope.

Answer 3

In addition to light pollution, most people used to spend a lot of time outside actually looking at the stars, indeed at night it was probably the only thing to look at.

It was also important to as a navigational aid so an understanding of the night sky was essential if you wanted to move around and not get lost.

Many cultures also thought of the stars and planets as gods so would pray and observe their movements.

Answer 4

Assuming we are describing objects such as constellations, the Moon, or other objects this would be due to air quality with less pollution meaning a higher percentage of light penetrating to the naked eye. The relative positions of the planets and other objects would be changed, the Moon for instance would be closer to the Earth as it recedes with time.

Answer 5

Objects in the sky are visible in direct proportion to the darkness of the background sky. People who have lived only in the 20th-21st century world have no idea how dark the sky was before the world was lit up with millions and millions of mercury vapor and sodium vapor lights.

I grew up in rural North Carolina in the 1950s, before metal vapor lights became common. You could lie in the grass in the back yard and see a rich field of stars unlike anything you have ever seen. Thousands of stars. Dozens or sometimes hundreds of meteors. Comets in the distance. You could spot Mars by its color. You could become familiar with the shape of the edges of all the dark globs against the background of the Milky Way.

It was so incredibly beautiful. It can't be described in ordinary terms. And we lost it because so many people became afraid of the dark--afraid something will "get" them. And because the marketers began to have contests to see whose store was more brightly lit at night.

They will all drown in lakes of blood and face their darkest fears in the suffocating pits of hell. There is no hell in general, but there is one for people who love metal vapor lights. And those who sell them.

They destroyed the sky. They took from younger generations the ability to see where we are and what it means to be on the earth, which are things you know only if you love and see the night sky in the clear.

Out at sea on a ship with no lights. 100 miles from shore. Maybe in the desert in a few places. The Aleutian Islands. Just a few places. But for most of us, it is a life separated from understanding by the absence of the night sky. One of the great tragedies of all time.

Answer 6

if you go out into the country were there are no street lights or lights from a mall.
there is very little polution so the are is cleaner and clearer

you will see more stars that anyone else around. I look out now and see the moon and north star.
from my dorm room in the city i see the moon if it is clear

Answer 7

Today there is light pollution. Light pollution is wasteful outdoor lighting. The glare from the lights block out all but the brightest stars, galaxies, and nebulae.

Answer 8

light pollution. because of all the lights, espescially in the cities. for exapmle, i live near washington dc, and pretty much all you can see on a clear night is the big dipper and orions belt, when i go to my dad's in west virginia, i can see all kinds of constellations that i didnt even know about. this is way astronomy observatories are not only on the tops of hills, but in sparsely populated areas. try going out to the stix somewhere where there isnt a streetlight for miles around, and you will see what im talking about

Answer 9

Because of modern day light pollution. Of course you have to assume no telescopes.

Answer 10

There was less pollution and ambient light.