Astronomy (class)

Astronomy is a core class and subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Astronomy is a branch of magic that studies stars and the movement of planets. It is a subject where the use of practical magic during lessons was not necessary.

Uagadou students are known to be skilled in astronomy, implying the teaching that is provided at Uagadou is excellent.

Class information
Astronomy lessons are spent learning the names of stars and the movements of planets. It is a required class from year one until year five and becomes an optional subject for the final two years.

In the fifth year, the Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations are taken. During the exam, students fill in a blank star chart. If a student achieves a passing O.W.L. score, they are allowed to advance to N.E.W.T.-level.

Astronomy is one of the only fields of study at Hogwarts which has a direct equivalent in the Muggle world. Known student activities include learning the names of stars, constellations, and planets, as well as their location and movements and describing the environments of planets and moons.

Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment in Diagon Alley sells telescopes and other equipment needed for astronomy. Aurora Sinistra was the astronomy professor at Hogwarts during Harry Potter's time as a student. She was also teaching during Jacob's sibling's time at Hogwarts.

Classrooms
Astronomy classes take place in the highest level of the Astronomy Tower, the tallest tower in Hogwarts Castle and include sky observation sessions with telescopes.

First year
During the first year of studies at Hogwarts, students study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the different names of the stars and the movements of the planets. Toward the end of the year, Hermione was quizzing Ron on astronomy. Their studying included using a map of Jupiter. It was noted that the studies on Jupiter continued into later years, when Harry tried to learn the names of Jupiter's moons in his fifth year of study at Hogwarts.

Third year
In the 1993-1994 school year, one of the homework assignments included drawing a star chart which probably means they studied stars that year, and they take a midnight exam at the end of the year.

Fifth year
The students study Jupiter's moons and write an essay for their homework containing facts such as Europa being covered by ice and Io having many volcanoes. They fill in blank star charts, and the homework during this year became intensive enough that some students had to organize a meeting to help each other get through it.

For the astronomy O.W.L. exam in their fifth year, the written exam contained a section on Jupiter. In 1996, it was held on Wednesday morning. The practical exam took place in the evening at eleven o'clock, and each student had to "fill in a blank star chart" based on a few hours of observing the night sky.

When Harry Potter was taking the astronomy O.W.L. in 1996, Rubeus Hagrid was confronted by Dolores Umbridge and a team of Aurors in what was an attempting sacking, which was also the night that Minerva McGonagall took "no less than four Stunners to the chest."

Known professors

 * Aurora Sinistra (pre. 1985-unknown)

Passing grades

 * Outstanding [O]
 * Exceeds Expectations [E]
 * Acceptable [A]

Fail grades

 * Poor [P]
 * Dreadful [D]
 * Troll [T]

Known O.W.L.s

 * Aurora Sinistra
 * Barty Crouch, Jr.]
 * Bill Weasley
 * Percy Weasley
 * Hermione Granger
 * Harry Potter (may not have qualified for N.E.W.T.)
 * Ron Weasley (may not have qualified for N.E.W.T.)