ABSTRACT
Stone-age civilizations around the world studied the stars in the night skies thousands of years ago and found repeating patterns in what they saw. These patterns allowed hunters to predict when the moon would be full again and when the night sky would be moonless. Early astronomers saw repeating patterns in the positions of the stars, the phases of the moon, and even in the movements of the five “wandering stars” called planets. Many ancient civilizations, including the Greeks, Middle Easterners, and Mayans, developed their knowledge of astronomical patterns to the point where they were able to predict eclipses. Astronomers have determined that our sun will eventually expand into a red giant before casting off its outer layers and ending its life as a white dwarf.
