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Astronomy and the Renaissance. Know about Copernicus and the Sun-Centered Model Know Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion. Ptolemy’s Model. Claudius Ptolemy – AD 150 Ptolemy believed that heavenly bodies (planets and stars) were perfect, in contrast to earthbound objects
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Astronomy and the Renaissance • Know about Copernicus and the Sun-Centered Model • Know Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
Ptolemy’s Model • Claudius Ptolemy – AD 150 • Ptolemy believed that heavenly bodies (planets and stars) were perfect, in contrast to earthbound objects • For 1,300 years, his model was the conventional wisdom of the scientific world • The universe was based on perfect circles • An epicycle is the circular orbit of a planet, the center of which revolves around the Earth in another circle
Lesson Overview • Copernicus and the Sun-Centered Model • Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
Why Copernicus Searched for a Better Model • Ptolemy’s model designed to predict planetary movements were off (by as much as 2 degrees)… • Hence calendars, largely based on astronomical bodies were not accurate. More accurate data was needed for the Roman Catholic Church in order to correctly observe religious events. • In addition, Ptolemy’s theory of epicycles didn’t adequately explain changes in Mars’ brightness
Copernicus’ Heliocentric System • Earth, one of several planets revolving around the Sun • Plane of Earth’s equator tilted • Moon revolves around Earth • Earth’s atmosphere simply follows Earth as it rotates
Tycho Brahe Tycho Brahe’s (1571-1630) • Danish astronomer and fierce mathematician • Tycho’s observations didn’t confirm the more recent Copernican model. • Trying to bridge the two Tycho developed a hybrid model that put Earth at the center of Sun’s orbit • Other planets orbiting Sun • Wrong conclusion for a good reason
Tycho Brahe • Tycho Brahe's contributions to astronomy were atill enormous. • Supernova (1572) • He not only designed and built instruments, he also calibrated them and checked their accuracy periodically….thus he revolutionized astronomical instrumentation. • He also gave a young mathematician, Johannes Kepler a break…..well sort of
Kepler’s First Law: The Significance of the Ellipse • Ellipse – a geometrical shape of which every point is same total distance from two fixed points • Each planet’s path around the Sun is an ellipse • The Sun is at one focal point
Kepler’s Second Law: The Planets’ Changing Speeds • A planet speeds up when it is closer to the Sun, and slows down when it is farther away
How Kepler’s Third Law Implied the Force of Gravity • Kepler hypothesized that a force held the planets near the Sun—gravity • His 3rd Law states that the square of a planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the Sun. (period)2 = (constant) x (average distance)3 • Harmonic Law: expresses a relationship between the time a planet takes to orbit the Sun and its distance from the Sun Longer distance from sun, longer time to orbit, more distance traveled thus slower speed in its orbit
Astronomy and the Renaissance • Know about Copernicus and the Sun-Centered Model • Know Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
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