"Excuse me, pardon me," I said as I pushed through the crowd of ponies. I tried my best to avoid running into ponies and creatures alike. It didn't help that I ran into just about everything in my path. I could only imagine what the ponies were thinking of me when they saw me running like a chicken with its head cut off. How could I oversleep for my first class? Geez, I’m already breaking Twilight’s rules, I thought as I ran with a map of the campus and books in hand. Thank the heavens Twilight left before me, or she would have my hide for sure. Who the heck puts an astronomy class on the edge of campus? It’s...? I stopped running, signing to myself as I read the map. It shows a teleport pad right in front of the astronomy class. I made my way to a pad to teleport myself there. How stupid could I be to forget about those?
I tried to take a seat as quickly as I possibly could. Class was in session, and I was 20 minutes late for a 50-minute class. Out of the 200 students in the class, I hoped the professor wouldn’t notice me. In most classes, this wouldn’t be a problem; however, when you’re the only human in the class, you kind of stick out.
As I burst into the classroom, all eyes turned towards me, their curious gazes following my every move. Professor Starmoon, a venerable figure with a deep passion for the cosmos, paused her lecture to acknowledge my tardy arrival with a knowing smile.
"Well, well, well, look who's decided to join us," she announced playfully, her voice resonating with warmth and good humor. "Mr. Fredrickson, please find a seat quickly so we can continue our cosmic journey."
Scanning the room for an available seat, I found only two options, both conveniently situated near a certain griffin named Riker—a notorious troublemaker with a knack for mischief. I instantly remembered what happened in the sky and what Twilight said as I walked over to sit down. Steeling myself for whatever trials lay ahead, I settled into the nearest vacant spot, bracing for the storm that was sure to come.
To my surprise, Riker seemed oddly engrossed in Professor Starmoon's lecture, his usual air of mischief momentarily subdued. Relieved by the unexpected reprieve, I focused my attention on the task at hand, eager to prove myself in the eyes of both my professor and my peers.
As Professor Starmoon outlined the fundamentals of astronomy, I found myself captivated by her words, each syllable carrying the weight of centuries of human and pony exploration. From the ancient observations of the night sky to the cutting-edge technologies of modern telescopes, she painted a vivid picture of humanity's quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
With a sense of awe and wonder, I listened as she spoke of the stars, those distant suns whose light had traveled countless light-years to reach our eyes. She described the planets, each one a world unto itself, with its own unique features and quirks waiting to be discovered.
But perhaps most fascinating of all was her discussion of Princess Luna, the guardian of the night sky, whose magic imbued the heavens with an otherworldly beauty that defied explanation. Through her influence, the night sky became a canvas upon which dreams were painted and destinies were forged—a testament to the boundless wonder of the cosmos.
As the lecture drew to a close, I felt a newfound sense of purpose stirring within me—a desire to explore the mysteries of the universe and uncover the secrets that lay hidden among the stars. With each passing moment, my resolve grew stronger, fueled by the knowledge that I was on the brink of an extraordinary journey—one that would shape the course of my destiny in ways I could scarcely imagine.
"Now, I know this is your first day of class; however, I want you to take out a piece of paper and pen or pencil and just write a few things about astronomy you know so I can gauge your knowledge on the subject. Once done, you can turn it in on my desk and pick up your assignment and leave for the day."
What should I even write about? I just literally got into this class; I know nothing. Riker, on the other hand, …hoof…claw had like a 5-paragraph essay already. Peeking an eye over on it, it read:
"Perhaps one of the oldest sciences, we have a record of ponies/humans studying astronomy as far back as the Ancients. Early scientists had to observe space with just their eyes. There was only so much they could see. With the invention of the telescope in the early 1600s, scientists were able to see much further objects as well as get a better view of closer objects like the moon and the planets.
There are different fields in the science of astronomy. They include:
Observational Astronomy - this is what we often think of with astronomy; observing the celestial objects of outer space such as stars and planets. There are types of observational astronomy that are divided up by how the objects are observed. These include everything from basic light (using our eyes to observe), radio, infrared, X-ray, Gamma Ray, and ultraviolet observations (using complex high-tech equipment).
Theoretical Astronomy - in this area of astronomy, scientists use mathematical models to describe better what is observed and even to describe events we cannot observe with our current technology.
Solar Astronomy - these scientists focus on the sun. This can be an important field of science as sun activity can have a major impact on the Earth.
Planetary Astronomy - an area of science focused on learning more about planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. From this, we can learn how planets and other objects were formed and what they are made of.
Stellar Astronomy - the study of stars including how they are formed, what they are made of, and their life cycle. This includes various types of stars and their final state including interesting objects like red giants, black holes, supernovas, and neutron stars.
However, Princess Luna is still the Guardian that directs a lot of the activities that govern the moon and sky."
That was enough for me. I got back to my paper. I had forgotten that Princess Luna had control over the moon and sometimes plays with the night sky. Oh, I got it, this is a blended astronomy class, which now that I think about it, I should have known with the Title to the class: Introduction To Earth/Equestria Astronomy 101.
I got up from my seat and turned in my paper and got an assignment sheet. I looked to see what the assignment was about, of course, Astronomy. I laughed while getting shushed by the remainder of the class still working on their papers. I saw Prof. Starmoon go for my paper; I assumed she wanted to read my brilliance. She eyeballed it for a moment. I saw the look on her face and knew it was time to leave before she could finish.
"Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and comets. However, this is not always the case due to the magic of Princess Luna, sometimes influencing the nature of astronomy and creating an artificial shell that sometimes blends the two together."
"Wow, there may be hope for him yet," she smiled, placing my paper back in the bin.
As I stepped out into the corridor, I was met with a sight that sent a chill down my spine—a throng of angry pony students, their faces contorted with fury as they brandished makeshift weapons and shouted my name in unison. Panic surged through me like a tidal wave as I realized they were coming for me, their intentions unclear and their rage palpable.
With no time to spare, I broke into a sprint, my pulse racing as I fled from the mob that seemed to materialize out of thin air. What had I done to incur their wrath? I wondered frantically as I darted through the labyrinthine corridors of Equestria University, the echoes of their angry cries reverberating in my ears.
"What's up with this crazy school?" I muttered to myself between gasping breaths, the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I raced towards the uncertain future that awaited me at Equestria University. Little did I know, this was only the beginning of the wild adventures that lay ahead.