Astronomy

Perhaps the least magical class in terms of magic usage, astronomy teaches students the names of stars and constellations, the movement of planets, and the environments of those planets. It is the only class that has some of its lessons late at night for firsthand observation of the stars in the sky. At Gerhardt, the class is taught by Perseus Cochrane and assisted by the wizard astronomer Jean-luc Dumont for the graduate program depending on the availability of Jean-luc.

There is more science than magic in astronomy leading many over the centuries saying that it is a bridge between the magical world and the non-magical world. However, the witch and wizard astronomers have advanced the field far farther than the non-magical counterparts have. The magical astronomers have highly accurate models and diagrams of not only the solar system, but also of the Milky Way galaxy, and there is work on creating an accurate star chart for the entire universe that the most elite astronomers are collaborating on.

One of the major tests within the class is predicting when the next solar eclipse will occur and its affect on the strength of magic. Since each eclipse has a different temporary effect on magic's strength, it must be known to prevent unnecessary injuries to practitioners around the time of the eclipse. At Gerhardt astronomy is a core class until seventh year when it becomes an elective for them and the graduate program students.