astronömia

Astronömia is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the governance, law, ethics, and sociology of astronomy and human activities in outer space. The name derives from astron-, meaning star, and nomia, meaning law or governance, with a stylistic umlaut intended to signal its distinction from conventional terms. In practice, astronömia is used in speculative discourse and by some space-policy scholars to examine how international norms, national regulations, and institutional practices shape astronomical research and space exploration.

Its scope includes space governance structures, orbital resource rights, debris mitigation, space traffic management, access to astronomical data, intellectual property, and planetary protection. It also considers ethical issues such as the cultural implications of observing celestial bodies, equity of access to space-derived benefits, and the societal impact of large-scale observatories.

Methodologically, astronömia draws on comparative law, policy analysis, ethics, science and technology studies, and case studies of treaties like the Outer Space Treaty and data-sharing agreements. It interfaces with space law, space policy, astronomy, planetary science, and philosophy of science.

The field is informal and largely institutionalized as a cross-disciplinary area within policy programs and theoretical discussions. Some critics question its practical utility beyond existing space-law and policy disciplines, while proponents argue that it offers a unifying frame for addressing governance challenges posed by growing space activity.

See also space law, space policy, orbital debris, planetary protection, data governance, science diplomacy.