Scientific illustration of astronomy showing planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies, black holes, cosmic web structures, observatories, telescopes, spectral light beams, detector grids, and interconnected astronomical data pathways.

Astronomy: Stars, Planets, Galaxies, Cosmology, and the Universe

Astronomy examines celestial bodies, cosmic systems, and the large-scale structure and history of the universe. As a foundational natural science, it explains the origins, motions, composition, and evolution of planets, stars, galaxies, and the broader cosmos. This pillar explores planetary systems, stellar evolution, galaxies, black holes, exoplanets, cosmology, astronomical observation, and the wider scientific and civilizational significance of understanding the universe.