Since the dawn of humanity, our ancestors have been observing natural phenomena in order to understand nature and develop survival strategies.
The observation of the cyclical phenomena of day and night, as well as the seasons, was essential for understanding the movement of hunting herds and the appropriate times for planting and harvesting in the first agricultural activities.
The observation of the sun, moon and stars was essential for human development, which makes astronomy the oldest of the sciences. Rock inscriptions made approximately 50,000 years ago are the first records of the observation of the stars. Ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt, which flourished more than 5,000 years ago, carried out systematic observations of the stars and determined the periods of the lunar phases and the annual movement of the sun, which allowed the creation of the first calendars that guided agricultural activities and celebrations.
In several places in Europe, there are obelisks, menhirs and blocks of rock oriented mostly in the direction of the sunrise, such as Stonehenge in England, Carnac in France and Évora in Portugal. Also in the Americas, there are temples of the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas oriented by stars, which attests to the astronomical knowledge of these peoples.
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