Why is the sky dark at night What are those mysterious twinkling lights that dot the nighttime sky What is Earth's place in the universe Astronomy is the science that asks and tries to answer questions like these. We have come a long way toward understanding what makes the sky appear as it does and how the universe is fashioned. The Astronomy Department offers courses for anyone who is interested in learning about the universe and who would like to be able to follow new astronomical discoveries as they a