Centaurs (regarding Harry Potter and other fantasy novels)

[GhaleonOne]

Okay, so like I've said in another thread, I'm reading the Harry Potter series for the first time. I'm getting towards the end of the first book and noticed that the centaurs in the forest seem to be stargazers and astronomers. I remember this also being the case in Narnia as well. I'm assuming this was borrowed from some myth or legend, but was just curious if anyone knew the origins of this?

Anyways, just something that piqued my interest.

[Sonic#]

Well, the example in Greek mythology would be Chiron, one of the only centaurs that wasn't a reveller. He knew medicine and such, and I think also astrology. They probably derived their centaurs, directly or indirectly, from this.

There's a rambunctious myth around the common wild ones, where they go to a wedding and... end up in a drunken fight with the human guests after they try to carry away the bride. Just to give an example of how they generally were.

I'm not sure if they occur elsewhere.

[GhaleonOne]

Makes sense. Thanks. I figured it had to be out of some kind of mythology of at least one culture.