Midterm Paper
Midterm Examination
Earth Science and Society
Magan R. Kight
The four other major contributors to the development of modern astrology after Copernicus were Tycho, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton. Tycho devised the most precise instruments available before the invention of the telescope for observing the heavens.("The observations of," 2010) Kepler developed three laws of planetary motion. He stated that the orbits of the planets are elliptical, that the planets revolve around the Sun at different speeds, and that there is a proportional relation between a planet’s orbital period and its distance to the Sun. Galileo was a backer of Copernican theory. He constructed an astronomical telescope in 1609 and made several discoveries, some of which were sunspots, the features on the moon, and the different phases of Venus. Newton proved that the force from gravity along with the tendency of a planet to stay in straight-line motion results in elliptical orbits. The geocentric view had been based on philosophical debates of how people interpreted what they were seeing. It was not until there were better ways to track and record what people were seeing that the views of the universe would begin to change. It is based on these observations and data that astronomers were able to use science to explain the how and why. Scientific research is not a quick and easy thing to come by; it takes time. Scientific research will always be scrutinized by other scientists, or others who have different views. People’s views can still be heavily affected by their personal religious choices and even their political views.
Works Cited
1. The observations of tycho brahe. (2010, SEPTEMBER 01). Retrieved from
Earth Science and Society
Magan R. Kight
The four other major contributors to the development of modern astrology after Copernicus were Tycho, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton. Tycho devised the most precise instruments available before the invention of the telescope for observing the heavens.("The observations of," 2010) Kepler developed three laws of planetary motion. He stated that the orbits of the planets are elliptical, that the planets revolve around the Sun at different speeds, and that there is a proportional relation between a planet’s orbital period and its distance to the Sun. Galileo was a backer of Copernican theory. He constructed an astronomical telescope in 1609 and made several discoveries, some of which were sunspots, the features on the moon, and the different phases of Venus. Newton proved that the force from gravity along with the tendency of a planet to stay in straight-line motion results in elliptical orbits. The geocentric view had been based on philosophical debates of how people interpreted what they were seeing. It was not until there were better ways to track and record what people were seeing that the views of the universe would begin to change. It is based on these observations and data that astronomers were able to use science to explain the how and why. Scientific research is not a quick and easy thing to come by; it takes time. Scientific research will always be scrutinized by other scientists, or others who have different views. People’s views can still be heavily affected by their personal religious choices and even their political views.
Works Cited
1. The observations of tycho brahe. (2010, SEPTEMBER 01). Retrieved from
Cited: 1. The observations of tycho brahe. (2010, SEPTEMBER 01). Retrieved from http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/brahe.html