Astronism developed as a new religious movement and philosophy in the county of Lancashire in North West England in 2013. It emerged out of the writings of Cometan, a young philosopher and author who claimed to have experienced a series of intense inspirations and revelations over an eight year period known as The Founding of Astronism. Cometan began writing these revelations down from the age of 17 and these culminated in the creation of the Omnidoxy, a book reaching over 2 million words in total length. 

Astronism is classified as a naturalistic religion or philosophy, meaning that the majority of its ideas and beliefs are based on natural rather than supernatural phenomena. This is largely due to the current dominance of the naturalist school of thought. However, three other Astronist schools of thought exist that do include supernatural interpretations of beliefs; these three other schools are transhumanism, transcensionism, and transtellationism. Astronism may also be referred to as an astronomical religion, meaning that it focuses on space and the stars for its spirituality, faith, destiny, hope, future, and existential purpose. 

Astronist approaches to subjects like eschatology, theology, and soteriology have developed Religious Astronism meanwhile a strong tradition of philosophy exists at the core of Astronism, for which it is sometimes known as an organised philosophy; that is, a synthesis of religion and philosophy. Crucially, Cometan developed a new branch of philosophy known as cosmontology. This may also be known as cosmic philosophy and it is mainly what the Omnidoxy consists of; that is, contemplations on the nature, form, structure, past, future, and destiny of The Cosmos. Specifically, it was from these "cosmic contemplations" that Astronism as an organised system of beliefs emerged and developed. 

Beyond belief in astrosis and cosmosis, Astronists believe in sentientism; that is, the belief in the existence of an abundance of intelligence life in The Cosmos. A huge variety of beliefs, theories and ideas form the entire belief structure of Astronism, but some other prominent beliefs currently are intracosmism which is the belief that the answers to our existence are to be found within The Cosmos rather than beyond The Cosmos. 

Following Astronism is not contingent on a person's belief in a deity, although a person may wish to believe in what is known in Astronism as The Divine which is understood as the "uncaused first cause" that sustains, but crucially, did not create The Universe. Astronist theology and the cosmology of Astronism are deeply intertwined in this way so learning more about the cosmology of Astronism is required to understand the theology. However, Astronism may best be described as non-theistic meaning that belief in or disbelief in the existence of a higher power is not the main purpose, goal or focus, but instead, as evidenced by the religion's worldview of cosmocentrism, the study, understanding, comprehension, and exploration of The Cosmos physically, spiritually, mystically, and intellectually is given paramount importance. 

History of the Astronic tradition

Religions are split into traditions which are collections based on shared lineages and common belief systems. Astronism has not emerged as the first astronomical religion, but it is the modern manifestation of a long series of astronomical religions tracing their origins back to the Upper Palaeolithic period of the Stone Age some 40,000 years ago. The tradition of religion to which Astronism belongs is called the Astronic tradition and this sits alongside the Abrahamic, Dharmic, and Taoic traditions to form the oldest kind of religious tradition.