Claudius Ptolemy was a Greek astrologer who lived around 100AD and studied the idea of a geocentric universe in which he created his own ‘model’ of the universe from. He discovered that Earth is at the centre of the Universe and does not move. Instead the other celestial bodies, including the planets in our solar system, revolve around the Earth.
His studies show that everything in the universe moved in perfect circles around other objects. Ptolemy believed that each body orbited a single point that in turn orbited the Earth. The smaller circle in which the planet/celestial body moved on was the epicycle. This epicycle then orbited the earth (approximately every 24 hours) counter-clockwise travelling on a deferent (larger circle). The epicycle constantly moved with its origin lying on the deferent at all moments during the orbit. Deferent was a term presented by Ptolemy as a name for an imaginary circle with
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The equant was the name given for the unexplained imaginary point that ‘controlled’ the planets’ velocity and ensured it had a perfectly “uniform angular speed” (Keplersdiscovery, 2007). This unexplained point lead people to question whether this was true or false.
The problems with Ptolemy’s theory was that it was constricted by a lack of technology, the inability to see into space and unexplained assumptions. These restrictions resolve in the overall fundamental principles and explanations initiated by Ptolemy to be slightly compromised.
During the time Ptolemy walked on earth he had access to very little technology. One of his tools were invented by himself such as the Ptolemy rule (on right). The rule was used to measure and mathematically calculate the position and movements of the stars and planets. Although due to lacking evidence the Ptolemy tool is not very accurate and is of little