Heliocentrism

The History Behind the Conflict of Flamsteed and Newtown John Flamsteed, an English astronomer, has put a huge impact on the field of science, which is still important today. Being the first astronomer of England, Flamsteed founded Greenwich Observatory and discovered over three thousand stars. In the beginning, Flamsteed was struck with a disease, crippling rheumatoid, that forced him to leave school and study astronomy on his own. Flamsteed was fascinated by the solar eclipse, which brought…

1. Was the charge against Galileo that he was subscribed to a scientific theory that was different from the Bible? a. The charge against Galileo was for his rejection of the geocentric view of the solar system, and his actions were challenging the doctrine of the church and therefore challenging the legal authority of the church. 2. Was the Church against the heliocentric theory? a. The Church was against the heliocentric theory because it was contrary to the science of the time. During this…

“Galileo, a famous Italian astronomer, is known for many things. He discovered the four moons of Jupiter, modified the telescope to be able to see farther distances, designed the first pendulum clock, and had so many theories about the universe.” (http://www.space.com/15589-galileo-galilei.html) Eventhough, Galileo and the church did not agree his theories can be proven true. “Galileo was born in Pisa in 1564. He was a cloth merchant, musician, and member of the minor nobility. He enrolled at…

Monday marks Columbus Day for people in the United States, but did you know there was a lunar twist to the famous explorer's journey? On Oct. 12, 1492, Columbus came ashore on an island northeast of Cuba, which he later named San Salvador (Holy Savior). Over the next 10 years Columbus would make three more voyages to the "New World." On his fourth and final voyage, while exploring the coast of Central America, Columbus found himself in dire straits. He left Cádiz, Spain, on May 11, 1502, with…

Nicholas Copernicus Nicholas Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland in 1473. His father died when he was around ten years old, so he lived with his uncle. His uncle was the bishop of Ermland. He had a wonderful childhood education, and went on to study at University of Krakow in 1491. There he developed his love for astronomy, but studied law and medicine. He became a doctor of law in 1503 and had a big participation in the humanist movement, as seen in his translation from greek into latin of…

History has affected the way all of us are living our lives right now to this day. It has led to new concepts that people have adopted, new technology, and new ideas that have evolved throughout time. Early modern Europe and the scientific revolution have contributed to the development of these conditions. Events that support these conditions are the Inquisition and Galileo, Thomas Hobbes and his theory of the state of nature, and art from artists like Vermeer. Each of the previously mentioned…

Aristarchus of Samos was not only an astronomer but also a mathematician. He lived between 310–230 B.C. and belonged to the Pythagorean School of Thought (Heath). His mathematical knowledge helped him to discover great advances in the world of astronomy. His writing The Sizes and Distances of the Sun and Moon is his only surviving text (Aristarchus ‘16). Aristarchus’ description of the solar system was similar to our modern one and this was about 1500 years before Copernicus made his geocentric…

With the start of the Scientific Revolution, it brought change to the way people lived and viewed the world. Many intellectual thoughts were developed regarding humanity 's position in the universe, this new way of thinking, sophisticated those living in the 1500 to 1700 's. Throughout Europe many individuals began to take these theories as the solid truths, and analyzed their validity. The ideas and beliefs of the common philosopher and intellectual of this period, perhaps the most important…

In Galileo’s Daughter, Dava Sobel assembles an account of Galileo’s attempt to prove the heliocentric model of the universe in a world where mans’ logical reasoning is potent, yet second to his devotion to God, and by relation, the Catholic Church. Sobel writes about Galileo’s tendency to question the reasoning of those around him. Though it may not be apparent, Galileo was born into a world of great similarity to the modern day. In Galileo’s time, Science was seen as blasphemy and a tool to…

Gravitation - Movement, or a tendency to move, towards a centre of gravity, as in the falling of bodies to the earth. (Oxford Dictionary) Introduction : For centuries, mankind has always been fascinated by the celestial bodies. The motion of the stars and planets were at once a symbol of the divine order of the universe and a profound challenge for human understanding. For the ancient Greeks the separation between the terrestrial and celestial realms was absolute--the downward motion of…