Abstract
There are many European countries in which astronomy does not appear as a specific course in secondary school. In such cases, astronomy can be introduced through other 5ubjects. This paper concerns astronomy in mathematics classes. Teaching astronomy through mathematics would result in more exposure than through physics, for instance. because mathematics is more prevalent in the curriculum. Generally, it is not easy to motivate students in mathematics, but they arc motivated to find out more about the universe, and about astronomy current events which appear in the media. This provides an excellent introduction to several mathematics topics. Specific connections include: angles and spherical coordinates
to star trails; logarithms to visual magnitudes; plane trigonometry to orbital motion; spherical trigonometry to the obliquity of the ecliptic; and conic curves to sundials at various latitudes. These practical, applied connections make mathematics courses more attractive to students.
