Have you found that studying astronomy has had a big impact in your life in a big way outside of that subject itself? I am a woman in my early 30's and although in a long term loving relationship felt very unsure about having a child. I have been through some tough times and questioned whether life was worth living or perhaps just too painful or ultimately futile to bring a child into the world. A couple of years ago I got into astronomy just as an interest and hobby, joined a local group and went to lectures etc and found that it completely altered my mind set learning about the evolution of the universe about how the some of the element in my body were created in the core of a sun or the blast of a supernova and that they floated through the cosmos until by some chance found just the right conditions for life here on our little planet and all the changes and evolution that has occurred on our planet to bring us to the point has made me see just how special and exciting life is. I think about all the stuff in the universe and how little of it actually has the chance to live and become a sentient being that I realise how lucky we are here on Earth. It has totally changed my perspective on life, on the natural world and on people I am a much happier person now and finally felt ready for a child and I am now pregnant! I'm sure other factors are at play here but the study of astronomy definitely played a big part in that change of heart.
So what about you did astronomy ever affect you in an unexpected way?
So what about you did astronomy ever affect you in an unexpected way?