ASTR 1101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Orbital Period, Universal Law, Elipse
Document Summary
Copernicus complicated to be reality geocentric model does not explain retrograde motion build the first mathematical heliocentric system wanted perfectly circular orbits. Couldn"t fix why some planets moved faster than others. Therefore mars appears to be in retrograde heliocentric model cont: Copernicus insisted that the heavens were perfect, therefore the planets moved in perfect circular orbits about the sun. Failed to explain why planets move faster across the sky at particular locations along their orbits. Published in code language so the church couldn"t catch on but they did anyway. The phases of venus is only true with the heliocentric model. So got put under church arrest and ostrosized from the church. Was the first to see that saturn grow a bulge and then circular, and then a bulge again. Interpreted data in terms of mathematics to give us three laws. All planets have an elliptical orbit with the sun at one of the foci.
