Models of the Universe
The Early Universe
Humans have come up with several
models in order to understand the
universe
They rely on their senses for a picture of
the universe with much philosophical and
religious symbolism
Around 600 BCE, Thales of Miletus
proposed that the earth is a disk floating
on water
In 520 BCE, Anaximander, also from
Miletus, suggested that the earth is a
cylinder and that it’s surfaced was curved
As civilization flourished, several models
were proposed, these can be categorized
into two: GEOCENTRIC AND
HELIOCENTRIC
Geocentric Theory
A Geocentric theory is an
astronomical theory which describes the
universe as a Geocentric system, i.e., a
system which puts the Earth in the center
of the universe, and describes other
objects from the point of view of the Earth.
Pythagoreans (500 B.C.)
Believed the stars, planets, sun,
and moon were attached to
crystalline spheres which rotated
around the Earth.
Geocentric- everything moved
around the Earth.
Considered that the motions of
the planets are mathematically-
Related to musical sounds and numbers
These idea were called the “The Music of
the Spheres”
Pythagorean Model
Plato
He also adopted the Pythagorean view of
the universe
Also assumes that all motions in the
universe are perfectly circular and all
heavenly bodies are ethereal or perfect
Aristotle (350 B.C.)
Believed the Earth is motionless
at the center of the universe and
all the stars and planets revolved
around it.
Stars and planets moved in
circular paths.
Geocentric
Accepted the notion of 27 buffering
spheres between the spheres of Eudoxes
and an outermost sphere that was the
domain of what he called the Prime Mover
This Prime mover is the one responsible
for the rotation of the planets
The Roman Catholic church adopted this
idea in Medieval times: The Prime mover
was considered God, and the sphere of
the firmament as Heaven
Divided the universe between two realms
Celestial realm – Unchanging and
perpetual, composed of the fifth element
aether or ether
Terrestrial realm – ephemereal and
undergoing decay, composed of four
primordial elements: earth, air, fire and
water
Eudoxes of Cnidus
(born c. 395–390 BCE, Cnidus, Asia Minor [now in
Turkey]—died c. 342–337 BCE, Cnidus), Greek
mathematician and astronomer who substantially
advanced proportion theory, contributed to the
identification of constellations and thus to the
development of observational astronomy in the Greek
world, and established the first
sophisticated, geometrical model of celestial motion. He
also wrote on geography and contributed to
philosophical discussions in Plato’s Academy. Although
none of his writings survive, his contributions are known
from many discussions throughout antiquity
Eudoxes
Proposed the 27 concentric spheres on
which the sun, moon and planets moved in
perfect circular motion
The breakdown of the spheres;
One sphere for fixed stars
Three spheres for the sun
Three spheres for the moon
Four spheres for each of the known
planets at the time
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter
He did not assigned a sphere for Earth
because in his notion the planet is fixed
Eudoxus’ Model
Ptolemy (140 A.D.)
Expanded Aristotle’s theories to try to
account for “retrograde motion” of the
planets
Planets traveled in smaller circular paths
as they traveled around the Earth
(epicycles and deferents) Geocentric
Popular model of the universe for 1,500
years.
Ptolemaic Model
The Heliocentric Theory
Heliocentric theory is a model of the
solar system that posits a central place for
the Sun, with the planets orbiting it. It is
most closely associated with the 16th-
century work of Copernicus and the 17th-
century work of Galileo, and
the theory was widely adopted after
Copernicus' death. Copernicus’s model is
known as the most influential of modern
astronomy
Copernicus (1543)
Sun at the center of universe and the
planets orbit the sun. Heliocentric.
Solved the problem of “retrograde motion”
Theory did not immediately replace
Ptolemy’s theory.
Tycho Brahe (1600)
Favored an Earth-centered universe
different from Ptolemy’s theory.
Thought that other planets revolved
around the Sun, and that the sun and
moon revolved around Earth.
His theory was incorrect, but made many
precise observations of planets and stars.
Geocentric
Johannes Kepler (1609)
Mathematician
Tycho’s assistant
Used Tycho’s observational data to
develop laws of planetary motion.
Kepler’s 3 Laws of Planetary Motion
Law of Ellipses
Law of Equal Areas
Law of Periods
Galileo Galilei (1609)
First person to use telescope for
astronomical observations
Discoveries:
Galilean Satellites (Jupiter’s moons)
Craters on the moon
Sunspots on the Sun
Phases of Venus
Favored Copernicus’s theory over Ptolemy’s
Isaac Newton
1687
Explained why planets orbit the Sun, and
why moons orbit planets.
Newton’s Law of Motion
Newton’s Law of Gravitation
Completed the work of Copernicus, Tycho,
Kepler, and Galileo
Geocentric Model
The Heliocentric Model
Thank you for comprehending
John Patrick O. Nojadera
Irish Anne Cantero
Alaiza Canta
“Because there is a law such as GRAVITY
the UNIVERSE can and will create itself out
of NOTHING”
- STEPHEN HAWKING
