Eddie Cohen's Influence On Modern Astronomy

Eddie Cohen

The first astronomers had a great influence on what we now know as modern Astronomy. A majority of astronomers made massive advances for their time. Ptomely, Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and Galileo all were known for their advanced thinking. Their theories were so advanced for their time, that it typically got them in trouble with either the government or the church. One of the most influential astronomers and geographers of all time was Claudius Ptolemy. He was a Greek mathematician. He promoted the theory that the earth was at the center of the universe. The theory was called the Geocentric theory; it stated that the Earth is the center of the universe and all other planets and stars were revolving around

Another major astronomer who revolutionized astronomy was Copernicus. Nicolaus Copernicus was a European scientist born in 1473. He played a key part in the Renaissance. His claim to fame was that he was the first astronomer to put forward a comprehensive heliocentric version of the solar system. The heliocentric theory is the idea that the sun is the center of the universe rather than the earth. Exploiting, mathematics Copernicus was able to create a radically new, post-Ptolemaic system, which illustrated all the celestial objects revolving around the sun. Copernicus also stated that the moon revolved around the earth. Furthermore, this demoted the moon from a planet to a satellite. However, people of his time thought the heliocentric theory was incorrect and strange. Moreover, even Copernicus himself realized that he could not prove his theories merely through astronomical observation. His model was simply more mathematically "sophisticated" than Ptolemy 's because it explained things better. On the contrary, years later some of the best astronomers in Europe, such as but not limited to the brilliant Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, admired the mathematical elegance yet he also rejected the Copernican model of the heliocentric

Lastly, the last astronomer and one of the greatest astronomers is, Galileo. He turns out to be the most important astronomer of all time, he was an Italian that spearheaded the Scientific Revolution. Galileo was, pretty much a lucky astronomer. For example, he was lucky to be alive when the telescope was invented, which was around 1607 AD. He caught wind about the this prodigious device , and he quickly made his own refracting telescope. To continue, this gave him absolutely unprecedented access to information on the heavens-and he was the first to capitalize on it. While military leaders in Europe, were using their spyglasses to spy on their enemies, Galileo was observing the sky and in doing so he discovered secrets that had lay waiting for millennia. Due to the fact that Galileo lived and studied during such an opportune time, he is considered by most to be the father of modern observational astronomy, and the father of modern physics. He was the first to lay eyes on the Rings of Saturn, and he also discovered and named the numerous Jupiter moons. Not to mention, he was the very first to observe sunspots, which was rather significant, because it was believed by the church that the sun was perfect and without blemishes of any kind. What Galileo is most well known for his for his strong defense of the idea of a heliocentric solar system, in lieu of religious persecution that he was subjected to. However unlike Copernicus, he was able to provide the scientific