Python is an interpreted language, which means that the code is not compiled in advance, which makes it slower than languages like C/C++ or Fortran. Why therefore would we want to learn/use it?
Astropy Core Package:
Affiliated Packages:
and so on...
Even though the Python logo has snakes in it, Python originally comes from the Monty Python comedy group!
Therefore, a lot of official Python documentation includes jokes related to the Monty Python!
The latest version of Python is currently 3.4, but you should be aware that many (~80%) people are still using version 2.7 (the latest 2.x release). Most packages actually support Python 3, but there is inertia in using Python 3 because it requires some small changes in scripts for them to work. In this course, we will learn Python 3.x syntax directly, but I will point out later in the course what changes are required if you ever need to use the older Python 2.x.