Chapter 1 - Ancient Scientific Models
In your notebook list the contributions of each person to the Science of Astronomy. Include and models,
theories, or accomplishments. When you have this information, complete the Chapter 1 questions on a
separate sheet of paper to hand in.
Terms Cosmos
Deferent
People
Babylonians 1600-800 B.C.
Eccentric
Greeks
Epicycle
o
o
o
o
o
o
Pythagoras ~ 500 B.C.
Plato ~ 400 B.C.
Aristotle ~350 B.C.
Eratosthenes ~ 200 B.C.
Aristachus ~ 200 B.C.
Hipparchus ~ 160 - 127 A.D.
Equant
Force
Forced Motion
Heliocentric
Heliocentric Stellar Parallax
Claudius Ptolemy ~ 125 A.D
Natural Motion
Parallax
Stellar Parallax
Scientific Model
Chapter 1 Questions
1. What were some of the important achievements of the Babylonians?
2. Contrast Babylonian and Greek Astronomy in terms of their observational achievements.
3. How did Aristotle's model explain (a) the apparent lack of motion by the earth, (b) the daily motion of
the stars, and (c) the annual motion of the sun through the Zodiac?
4. Why did the early astronomers conclude that the earth did not move?
5. How did Aristotle argue against the heliocentric model?
6. In the Ptolemaic model, how did the observations set the period of the epicycle and the deferent?
7. Draw and label a diagram showing the epicycle, deferent, and equant.