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The astronomical system of Ptolemy, in which the earth is at the center of the universe with the sun, moon, planets, and stars revolving about it in circular orbits.

Ptolemaic system Ptolemy believed that Earth was at the center of the universe and that the Sun and planets orbited Earth (with the planets also moving in smaller circles called epicycles). In this system, the centers of Mercury's and Venus's epicycles always lie on the line shown in the diagram between the Earth and the Sun.

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What was Ptolemy's theory?

Ptolemy's theory accounted mathematically for the movement of the planets, Sun and Moonand the stars.However, Ptolemy thought the Earth is the center of the universe, which is wrong. Galileo helped prove that the Sun is the center of our solar system by the use of his homemade telescope. Ptolemy thought that the Sun, planets, and stars rested on crystal spheres that revolved around Earth. Ptolemy had toput in things called "epicycles" and other ideas, to make his system work.


What did ptolemy call the transparent spheres in his theory?

Ptolemy called the transparent spheres in his geocentric theory "celestial spheres." He believed that these spheres carried the celestial bodies, such as the planets and stars, in circular motion around the Earth.


He developed the theory that planets move in concentric circles around the earth?

This theory was developed by the ancient Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy. Known as the Ptolemaic system, it held that planets move in circular orbits around the Earth. This geocentric model was widely accepted until the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus in the 16th century.


What was the major error in Ptolemy's theory about the structure of the universe?

Ptolemy's theory was incorrect because he believed the Earth was at the center of the universe and that the other planets and the Sun revolved around it. However, he was later corrected by, I believe, Copernicus (Ca-per-ni-kus) who stated the Sun was in the center of the universe and that the planets, including Earth, revolved around it.


How many planets were in Ptolemy time?

60

Related Questions

What was Ptolemy's theory?

Ptolemy's theory accounted mathematically for the movement of the planets, Sun and Moonand the stars.However, Ptolemy thought the Earth is the center of the universe, which is wrong. Galileo helped prove that the Sun is the center of our solar system by the use of his homemade telescope. Ptolemy thought that the Sun, planets, and stars rested on crystal spheres that revolved around Earth. Ptolemy had toput in things called "epicycles" and other ideas, to make his system work.


How was Copernicus model of the universe different from ptolemy's?

Copernicus's model thought that the planets orbited the sun. Ptolemy's model thought that the planets orbited the moon.No. The above answer is incorrect.Copernicus's model thought that the planets orbited the sun. Ptolemy's model thought that the planets orbited the EARTH in epicycles. Not the moon. (The model that modeled the planets orbiting earth was the Geocentric model. Aristotle theorized this.)Copernicus's model is known as the Heliocentric model. Ptolemy's theory of epicycles is when the planets revolved in large circles around Earth.


What did ptolemy call the transparent spheres in his theory?

Ptolemy called the transparent spheres in his geocentric theory "celestial spheres." He believed that these spheres carried the celestial bodies, such as the planets and stars, in circular motion around the Earth.


How was Copernicus model of the universe different from Ptolemy's model?

Copernicus's model thought that the planets orbited the sun. Ptolemy's model thought that the planets orbited the moon.No. The above answer is incorrect.Copernicus's model thought that the planets orbited the sun. Ptolemy's model thought that the planets orbited the EARTH in epicycles. Not the moon. (The model that modeled the planets orbiting earth was the Geocentric model. Aristotle theorized this.)Copernicus's model is known as the Heliocentric model. Ptolemy's theory of epicycles is when the planets revolved in large circles around Earth.


He developed the theory that planets move in concentric circles around the earth?

This theory was developed by the ancient Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy. Known as the Ptolemaic system, it held that planets move in circular orbits around the Earth. This geocentric model was widely accepted until the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus in the 16th century.


What was the error in ptolemy theory about the structure of the universe?

Ptolemy's theory was incorrect because he believed the Earth was at the center of the universe and that the other planets and the Sun revolved around it. However, he was later corrected by, I believe, Copernicus (Ca-per-ni-kus) who stated the Sun was in the center of the universe and that the planets, including Earth, revolved around it.


Did ptolemy believe in helio?

His theory was geo. The heliocentric theory is modern and has the Sun at the centre of the solar system with the planets going round it in nearly-circular orbits. Ptolemy's theory, a geocentric one, had the Earth at the centre, with everything else orbiting round it, but Ptolemy found an ingenious way of accounting for the planets' movements in the sky quite accurately. Ptolemy's method describes the planets' orbits in terms of a basic circular orbit, called the deferent but what goes round the deferent is a smaller circle, the epicycle, and the planet goes round the epicycle. It isn't difficult to see that this geometrical construction 'takes out' the Earth's movement round the Sun and explains the planets' movements as we see them from the Earth, while allowing the Earth to be fixed at the centre.


How was Copernicus model of the universe different from ptolemys model?

Copernicus's model thought that the planets orbited the sun. Ptolemy's model thought that the planets orbited the moon.No. The above answer is incorrect.Copernicus's model thought that the planets orbited the sun. Ptolemy's model thought that the planets orbited the EARTH in epicycles. Not the moon. (The model that modeled the planets orbiting earth was the Geocentric model. Aristotle theorized this.)Copernicus's model is known as the Heliocentric model. Ptolemy's theory of epicycles is when the planets revolved in large circles around Earth.


What was the major error in Ptolemy's theory about the structure of the universe?

Ptolemy's theory was incorrect because he believed the Earth was at the center of the universe and that the other planets and the Sun revolved around it. However, he was later corrected by, I believe, Copernicus (Ca-per-ni-kus) who stated the Sun was in the center of the universe and that the planets, including Earth, revolved around it.


How is Copernicus description of the system of planets different from Ptolemy description?

Ptolemy thought the earth was the center of the solar system (Otherwise known as the Geocentric theory) and Copernicus's idea was that the sun was at the center of the solar system (Heliocentric theroy).


How many planets were in Ptolemy time?

60


Why was ptolemy's theory helpful?

Ptolemy's theory of geocentrism, which placed Earth at the center of the universe, was helpful at the time as it provided a simple model to predict planetary positions. It helped early astronomers make sense of the movements of planets in the sky. However, it was eventually replaced by the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus.