Moreover, over a thousand years (by the time of Copernicus), the predictions of the theory were out of phase with observations. A wide range of astronomy texts over time use this as a way to illustrate the roundness of the Earth. Astronomy - Astronomy - Ancient Greece: Astronomy is present from the beginning of Greek literature. The combination of these three methods (epicycle, eccentric, and equant) enabled Ptolemy to mimic in his theory the observed motions of the planets, moon and sun, including the phenomena of retrograde motion, variable brightness, and variable speed. Technically more complicated than either of the two above, it can be understood as follows for the case of the sun: The sun moves on an earth-centered circle, but at an irregular rate determined by the condition that its rate of rotation be uniform with respect not to its own geometric center, but with respect to an equant point some distance from the geometric center. According to Simplicius (a commentator on Aristotle on ancient philosophy of later antiquity), Plato set his students the following problem: basing themselves only on uniform circular motions, to "save the phenomena", ie derive curves that would correspond with the observed movements of the planets (the phenomena). As the image suggests this is exactly what one would expect on a spherical Earth. Each planet was sandwiched between spheres moving at different rates in different directions, producing changes in direction equivalent to retrograde motions. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. (ii) Planets sometimes seemed brighter and sometimes less bright, which was interpreted to mean that they are sometimes closer and sometimes further from the earth. The underlying theme in Greek science is the use of observation and experimentation to search for simple, universal laws. But it must account for the retrograde motions of the planets, which cannot be done with just one sphere for each planet, since that sphere must turn uniformly. Cosmology is the study of the structure universe as a whole. As the stars move across the sky each night people of the world have looked up and wondered about their place in the universe. (3) A third method was developed by Ptolemy (100-170 AD), a Greek speaker who lived in Alexandria, in Egypt. For decades and indeed centuries the theory, contained in his book "Almagest" (Arabic for "The Greatest") enabled accurate predictions to be made. Anaxagorian Universe - The 5th Century B.C. This book tells the story. But the theory had its weaknesses. Finally, it should be noted that Aristarchus, in the third century BC, proposed (in a work now lost) that the sun, not the earth was the center of the universe. This superior god was by nature good, and so tried to create an image of itself that was as good as possible. (Other interpretations of Plato are possible, and we will see later that Copernicus attempted to do just this, though his was a controversial interpretation of Plato). Like the atoms of which it is solely composed (along with the void through which the atoms move), the cosmos has neither beginning nor end, either in time or in space. Moreover, over a thousand years (by the time of Copernicus), the predictions of the theory were out of phase with observations. It seemed that the sun was speeding up and slowing down at various points in its orbits. (iii) Mathematical hypotheses: Now, the basic assumption must be maintained (for intellectual reasons) and the empirical observations must be maintained as well (for practical reasons: theory must meet the test of observation). However, there is abundant evidence that the Egyptians were concerned with all the usual problems of existence. The first circle (the "epicycle") moves in one direction, the second circle (the "deferent") in the opposite, producing as a result motion similar to retrograde motion. This early cosmology was an extrapolation of the Greek theory of matter proposed by Empedocles. This produced planetary motion at unequal distances from the earth, helping to explain the fact that planets sometimes appear brighter and sometimes less bright, with brighter appearance interpeted as closer position. But even in the ancient world there were dissenting, if minority voices. These formed the "body" of the cosmos, which was also endowed with a "soul". Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read Heaven and Earth in Ancient Greek Cosmology: From Thales to Heraclides Ponticus. But there were problems with the theory as expressed above, particularly as concerns the orbits of the sun and the planets, which did not seem to describe a perfect circle (by naked eye observation, using at most a sighting post). Throughout history civilizations have developed unique systems for ordering and understanding the heavens. (iii) Mathematical hypotheses: Now, the basic assumption must be maintained (for intellectual reasons) and the empirical observations must be maintained as well (for practical reasons: theory must meet the test of observation). These creation myth categories are: … The idea is the following: the mathematical theory is constrained, for metaphysical reasons, to using only spheres, the most perfect solid, and strictly uniform motion, which is the most perfect motion. Finally, it should be noted that Aristarchus, in the third century BC, proposed (in a work now lost) that the sun, not the earth was the center of the universe. 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