Astronomy is one of those "Coffee-table Sciences", by which I mean: a science that manages to bridge the gap between academic research and popular culture. There are a few simple (but reliable) ways to determine whether a particular branch science falls into this category. Firstly, does Exclusive Books sell a book about it (especially if the book is too large to read in bed)? Secondly, has a Marvel or DC comic-book villain ever been a practitioner of it? And thirdly (and most importantly), how often does it spark heated arguments between individuals who have not even read the introductory paragraph on its associated Wikipedia entry?
