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Why did take Kepler so many extra years to determine the elliptical orbits of the planets?
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Kepler started when he got full access to Tycho's measurements of the planets' positions, after Tycho died in 1601. Kepler's full theory including details of the elliptical orbits of the six known planets was published eight years later.
Eight years is not too long when you consider his theory was right, in other words it's the theory we use today (with the details of the orbits slightly refined by modern measurements), and it replaced the Ptolemaic theory that had been in use for 1500 years and the Copernican theory that had been around for 66 years.
When you think Kepler was starting with a blank sheet of paper and had to calculate all the horribly complicated geometrical details from scratch, without even a slide-rule, eight years is not bad and it is right that he is considered one of astronomy's great founding fathers.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
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What is credited with describing the orbits of the planets as elliptical?
Johannes Kepler
What did Kepler discover about the orbit the solar systems planets?
Kepler discovered the orbits of the solar system are elliptical.
Who discovered the elliptical path of the planets?
17th century astronomer Johannes Kepler discovered the elliptical shape of the planets' orbits around the Sun, which he described in his first law of planetary motion. Newton later explained this in his law of universal gravitation.
What stated the planets moved in elliptical orbits around the sun?
This is Kepler's First Law.
What astronomer discovered that the orbits of the planets are elliptical rather than round?
Johannes Kepler.
Who introduced elliptical orbits?
It was Kepler who discovered that the planets orbits are elliptical.
Who discovered the planets that have an elliptical orbits?
Johannes Kepler.
Who did discover planets move in elliptical orbits?
Johannes Kepler
What is credited with describing the orbits of the planets as elliptical?
Johannes Kepler
What was Kepler contribution to astronomy?
He showed that the planets traveled in elliptical orbits
When did Johannes Kepler discover that the planets orbits are elliptical?
The year Kepler firstpublished this ideawas 1609.
Who was the first to propose elliptical orbits of the planets?
Johannes Kepler
What did Kepler discover about the orbit the solar systems planets?
Kepler discovered the orbits of the solar system are elliptical.
Who discovered the elliptical path of the planets?
17th century astronomer Johannes Kepler discovered the elliptical shape of the planets' orbits around the Sun, which he described in his first law of planetary motion. Newton later explained this in his law of universal gravitation.
His calculations showed that the planets revolve around the sun in elliptical orbits?
Kepler
Who was the first European scientist to suggest that orbits of the planets were elliptical?
It was Johannes Kepler.
The orbits of planets being elliptical was one the planetary laws developed by?
Kepler developed the Laws of Planetary motion, which include the orbits of planets being elliptical.
