1. The Scientific Revolution pg. 356

2. Why look up at the stars?
Once seen as omens and used for fortune telling
Help us see our place in the universe
We are explorers
Help us to understand religion

3. The Starting Point
Our knowledge of the universe begins with the ancient Greeks.
Some thought the sun was in the center of everything. This is called a heliocentric theory.
Most thought the earth was in the center of everything. This is called a geocentric theory.

4. Ptolemy (c.87-150 CE) Claudius Ptolemaeus
Furthered the work of Aristotle who argued for a geocentric universe.
Earth stands still and everything else rests in concentric spheres around the earth.

5. Ptolemaic System Geocentric Believed for about 1500 years.
Works mathematically with some difficulty

6. The New Astronomers
Could make a living because of the belief in the importance of astrology.
Nobles would have royal astronomers who charted the skies while on the noble’s payroll.
Charting the skies was important in navigation, so mercantilist governments funded astronomers.

7. What’s the difference? Astronomy Astrology
The science that deals with material universe beyond the earth’s atmosphere
The scientific study of stars, planets, and material in the universe
The study that assumes and attempts to interpret the influence of the heavenly bodes on human affairs
Assumes the planets and stars influence human behavior
Revolves around the use of zodiac signs: Aquarius

8. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)
Polish astronomer educated in Cracow and Italy
Questioned the difficult math of the geocentric theory
Published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres in 1543

9. Heliocentric Theory
Copernicus stated the SUN was in the middle of the universe.
Used reason and math, no telescope as of yet.

10. Importance of Copernicus
Opened the door for others to take his theory further.
Showed the importance of questioning the accepted theories.
His theories were nearly as difficult to work out as Ptolemy however.

12. Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) Son of a wealthy Danish noble (Denmark).
Built the greatest observatory in the world.
Astronomer to the Holy Roman Emperor.

13. Brahe’s Importance
He believed in a modified version of the geocentric theory.
His observational data was used by Kepler and others to develop later theories.

14. Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) German astronomer who assisted Brahe.
Was a Copernican theorist who used Brahe’s data.
Published Astronomia Nova (New Astronomy) in 1609.

15. Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
Planets travel in ellipses around the sun, not circles as everyone had always thought.
The closer the planet is to the sun, the faster the planet moves. You can calculate this in a mathematical formula.
The time it takes a planet to travel around the sun is proportional to the distance it is from the sun in the same way for all the planets.

16. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Italian astronomer.
Used a telescope he improved from Dutch designs.
His telescope saw 10x power and that was pretty good.

18. Importance of Galileo
Felt the universe was based on mathematic natural laws.
Everything was quantitative.
Was very public in his support of Copernicus and Kepler.
Catholic Church did NOT like him and put him on trial

19. The Scientific Method
Science should depend on observation and experimentation
Step by step process to collect and measure data
Hypothesis = educated guess

21. Isaac Newton ( )
One of the most influential thinkers of all time.
Studied in England.
Developed calculus.
Published Principia Matematica in 1687.

23. The Theory of Gravity
Newton speculated that every mass attracted every other mass in the universe.
The larger the mass, the greater the attraction.
Created mathematical equations that explained the theories of Kepler and of Galileo.

24. Newton’s Theories Described a mechanistic universe.
Would be considered untouchable until Einstein in the 20th century.
Helped land men on the moon and are still used today.
Influenced science, philosophy, math, and religion.