The Evolution of Our Understanding of the Solar System How would you explain an image like this in ancient times? Making a Foldable! • Make a 4 flap foldable! • Label the 4 flaps: – – – – Aristotle Ptolemy Copernicus Galileo • Inside, note as we go through scientists: – Heliocentric or Geocentric – Important Information Aristotle: Greek Philosopher Ancient Greece ~300’s B.C. Aristotle looks at sky and notices that all objects rise and set. He concludes that the Earth must be the center of the universe and thus the center of the solar system. This becomes known as the geocentric model. He explains the backward motion of some planets as epicycles. Geocentric Model http://www.astro.umass.edu/~myun/teaching/a100/images/geocentric.jpg Claudius Ptolemaeus: Ptolemy: Italian Astronomer 100 A.D. Ptolemy agrees with Aristotle but explains the strange phenomenon of retrograde motion by advancing theory that of “Epicycles”. Extravagant Nicolas Copernicus: Polish Astronomer Late 1400’s Nicholas Copernicus, was the first astronomer to formulate a scientifically based heliocentric theory that displaced the Earth from the center of the universe. He believed the sun was the center of our solar system. Heliocentric Model http://universe-review.ca/I07-02-SolarSystem.jpg Galileo GalileiItalian Astronomer Early 1600. Galileo confirmed Copernicus’ heliocentric theory but broke an agreement not to speak about it to the church, he was placed under house arrest during the Spanish Inquisition. Aristotle Geocentric Heliocentric Ptolemy Copernicus Geocentric Heliocentric Geocentric Heliocentric - -Oldest -Agreed with -Creator of Aristotle Geocentric -Added -objects in the retrograde sky rise and motion set. 1st to say sun is center. - This is called heliocentric (helio= sun / centric =center) Galileo Geocentric Heliocentric -Confirmed Copernicus’s theory -House arrest and ultimately banned from his country for supporting scientific beliefs not religious. Sources: • • • • • • • • • http://mgpc3.as.arizona.edu/images/Night%20Sky%20large2.jpg http://www.redorbit.com/modules/reflib/article_images/8_06878c3866cc846df 46ffb3d3441c9d9.jpg http://cseligman.com/text/sky/retrograde.htm http://www.kidspast.com/images/aristotle.jpg http://cnx.org/content/m11943/latest/ptolemy.gif http://www.polishamericancenter.org/Copernicus.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei#Church_controversy http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap960830.html http://www.relativitycalculator.com/images/parallax_and_history/Phenomenon _and_History_of_Parallax.jpg