Physical Sci - Lecture G12

Anaxagoras was able to explain what causes the phases of the moon.
According to him, the

moon shone only by reflected sunlight. Since it is a sphere, only half of it illuminated at a time.
This illuminated part that is visible from the earth changes periodically.
Anaxagoras, in contrast, proposed that the universe was made up of a substance that could be
divided infinitely, or forever. "Other things include a portion of everything, but mind is infinite
and self-powerful and mixed with nothing … over all that has life, both greater and less, mind
rules."
What is Anaxagoras best known for?
Image result for anaxagoras
Anaxagoras, (born c. 500 bce, Clazomenae, Anatolia [now in Turkey]—died c. 428, Lampsacus),
Greek philosopher of nature remembered for his cosmology and for his discovery of the true
cause of eclipses. He was associated with the Athenian statesman Pericles.
Eudoxus proposed a system of fixed spheres. He believed that the

Sun, the moon, the five known planets and the stars were attached to these
spheres which carried the heavenly bodies while they revolved around the
stationary Earth.
Eudoxus was the most reknown astronomer and mathematician of his day. In astronomy
devised an ingenious planetary system based on spheres. The spherical earth is at rest at the
center. Around this center, 27 concentric spheres rotate.
What is Eudoxus model of the universe?
Image result for eudoxus
An astronomer named Eudoxus created the first model of a geocentric universe around 380
B.C. Eudoxus designed his model of the universe as a series of cosmic spheres containing the
stars, the sun, and the moon all built around the Earth at its center.
Aristotle was a student of Plato. For him, the earth is spherical in shape since it always casts a
curved shadow when it eclipses the moon. He also believed that the earth was the center of the
universe. The planets and stars were concentric, crystalline spheres centered on the earth.
Aristarchus managed to place the Sun in the middle of the solar system and he also placed
the planets in the right order from the Sun. He gave a model of the universe with a stationary
Sun and planets rotating in circular orbits around the Sun.
Greek astronomer who maintained that Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun.
The ancient Greek scholar Eratosthenes is commonly called the "father of geography" for he
was the first to use the word geography and he had a small-scale notion of the planet that led
him to be able to determine the circumference of the earth.
Eratosthenes did not only read about great work, he did some great work himself. We know
him best for two important achievements: producing an accurate estimate of how big Earth is;
and devising a method to find prime numbers.
How did Hipparchus influence astronomy?

Using the visually identical sizes of the solar and lunar discs, and observations of Earth's shadow
during lunar eclipses, Hipparchus found a relationship between the lunar and solar distances
that enabled him to calculate that the Moon's mean distance from Earth is approximately 63
times Earth's radius.
Hipparchus was the first person to record the earth's precession. He did this by noting the
precise locations stars rose and set during equinoxes – the twice yearly dates when night length
and day length are exactly 12 hours. What is Claudius Ptolemy best known for?
Image result for Claudius Ptolemy

Key facts. Claudius Ptolemy was a 2nd century Greek mathematician, astronomer and
geographer famous for his controversial geocentric theory of the universe, which would form
the basis of our understanding of the motions of stars and planets for over than a thousand
years.
What did Claudius Ptolemy contribution to astronomy?
Image result for Claudius Ptolemy
Ptolemy synthesized Greek knowledge of the known Universe. His work enabled astronomers
to make accurate predictions of planetary positions and solar and lunar eclipses, promoting
acceptance of his view of the cosmos in the Byzantine and Islamic worlds and throughout
Europe for more than 1400 years.
He believed that the earth was the center of the universe. His Ptolemic Model claimed that the
planets moved in a complicated system of circles. This geocentric model also became known as
the Ptolemic System.

Physical Sci - Lecture G12

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Physical Sci - Lecture G12

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Anaxagoras was able to explain what causes the phases of the moon.

According to him, the

Eudoxus proposed a system of fixed spheres. He believed that the

How did Hipparchus influence astronomy?

Image result for Claudius Ptolemy

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