Final answer:
Ancient civilizations incorporated their observations of the sun, moon, and earth into their cultural and religious practices, also laying the groundwork for the development of astronomy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ancient civilizations played a pivotal role in the early study of astronomy, often intertwining their observations with religious and cultural beliefs. Before the advent of electric lights, the night sky was a fundamental part of daily life. These civilizations globally noticed, worshipped, and sought to understand celestial bodies, resulting in a mix of awe and scientific inquiry. The motions of the heavens prompted majestic regularity and surprise, leading to the establishment of observatories for measuring celestial objects to keep track of time and date. This practice was deeply rooted in both scientific and spiritual contexts. In Europe, Ancient Greeks like Aristotle believed Earth and the Moon to be spherical and developed sophisticated explanations for the phases of the Moon. However, the geocentric model placed Earth at the center, as the inability to observe stellar parallax led them to reject the idea that Earth moves. With advances in astronomy by figures like Eratosthenes and Hipparchus, the precise measurement of Earth's size and meticulous star catalogs were achieved. In contrast, in the New World, archaeoastronomy has shown how structures in places like Chaco Canyon were masterfully aligned to celestial events such as solstices and equinoxes. Throughout different epochs and regions, whether through the Sun Dagger or the advancement of the geocentric model, ancient peoples' understanding of the sky was both complex and significant. Observations once supported the geocentric model, but as newer models with improved observations emerged, such as the heliocentric system, philosophical and scientific perspectives shifted towards our contemporary understanding of the universe.