Complexity in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy and Astrophysics, in synergy with Physics and Modern and Contemporary Cosmology, have as main goal to understand, by means of mathematical, computational and observational methods, the fundamental astro-physical processes related to the description of the kinematic, dynamic, temporal and chemical evolution of different celestial objects — planets, stars, galaxies, clusters of galaxies, among others — and, lately, the formation, constitution and evolution of the Universe. Unlike other basic sciences, astrophysical objects, with very rare exceptions, are extraterrestrial, which in itself, from a practical point of view, characterises Astrophysics as a complex science. We discuss in this article the concept of complexity and phenomena considered complicated and intricate that have demanded new and challenging theoretical and methodological approaches in Astronomy and Astrophysics, which are among some of the most fascinating basic sciences of the 21st century.

Keywords
Complexity; Astronomy and Astrophysics; chaos; entropy; modeling