Astro(nomy/logy)

[Viachh]

Does the Tripitaka/Pali clearly distinguish astronomy from astrology? (or were both called the same term and, therefore, did not differ in any way?)

[Dhammanando]

Does the Tripitaka/Pali clearly distinguish astronomy from astrology? (or were both called the same term and, therefore, did not differ in any way?)

I would say yes and no.

Yes, in the sense that the Tipiṭaka does make a distinction between predicting the motions of stars, planets etc., and predicting what influences these will have on the sublunary world.

No, in the sense that both kinds of activity are treated as part of a single debased art (tiracchānavijjā).

From the Brahmajālasutta:

Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, earn their living by a wrong means of livelihood, by such debased arts as predicting:

there will be an eclipse of the moon, an eclipse of the sun, an eclipse of a constellation;
the sun and the moon will go on their proper courses;
there will be an aberration of the sun and moon;
the constellations will go on their proper courses;
there will be an aberration of a constellation;
there will be a fall of meteors; there will be a skyblaze; there will be an earthquake;
there will be an earth-roar;
there will be a rising and setting, a darkening and brightening, of the moon, sun, and constellations;
such will be the result of the moon’s eclipse, such the result of the sun’s eclipse, (and so on down to)
such will be the result of the rising and setting, darkening and brightening of the moon, sun, and constellations—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrong means of livelihood, from such debased arts.

The above seems to mostly fall under astronomy up to the words "such will be the result...", but after that it's all astrology.