Download History of Astronomy – Modeling the Solar System Early Studies

History of Astronomy – Modeling the Solar System
Early Studies
•
The earliest written were astronomical observations
•
__________________ (~1600 B.C.) recorded position of
•
also evidence from early Chinese, Central American and North European cultures such as
Stonehenge, which is a big computer for calculating the position of planets and the Sun
•
Astronomy was the
, times of eclipses, etc.
Geocentric Solar System Model
Heraclides (330 B.C.) developed the first Solar System model.
________________________ was central to the orbits.
Orbits are perfect ______________________(for philosophical reasons = all things in the Heavens are
"perfect")
Sketch:
Heliocentric Model
Aristarchus (270 B.C.) developed the heliocentric theory
________________________ was central to the orbits.
Why was the heliocentric model NOT initially accepted?
Sketch:
Observing Astomomy
•
Tycho Brahe (1580's) was astronomy's 1st true observer.
•
Built the Danish Observatory from which he measured positions of planets and stars to the
highest degree of accuracy for that time period (1st modern database).
•
Showed that the Sun was much farther than the Moon from the Earth, using simple
trigonometry of the angle between the Moon and the Sun at 1st Quarter.
Laws of Planetary Motion
•
Kepler (1600's) formulated the Laws of Planetary Motion
–
•
uses ellipses instead of circles for orbits of the planets.
The formulation of a highly accurate system of determining the motions of all the planets marks
the beginning of the Clockwork Universe Concept, and another paradigm shift in our philosophy
of science.
Galileo
•
Galileo (1620's) developed
rest versus uniform motion).
•
Then, with a small refracting telescope (3-inches), destroyed the idea of a "perfect", geocentric
Universe with the following 5 discoveries:
(natural versus forced motion,
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Models
Definition:
•
Models are typically used when it is either
create experimental conditions in which scientists can directly measure outcomes.
•
Physical models allow
model represents.
to
of information about the thing the