Early Forms of Astronomy and Influence of Ancient Civilizations

Early civilizations like the Greeks, Egyptians, Babylonians, and Mesopotamians studied astronomy for purposes like religion, calendars, navigation, and astrology. Greek philosophers like Thales and Pythagoras were pioneers in naturalistic astronomy, avoiding supernatural explanations. Thales made predictions and proposed geometric concepts, while Pythagoras viewed the universe as numerological. Their theories, though not entirely accurate, marked a shift towards scientific thinking.