2.3 Solar System Discoveries

Question 1

Who developed the first model of the universe (at the time it was the Earth, the moon, the sun, 5 planets and fixed stars).

Answer 1

Nicolaus Copernicus.

Question 2

What’s Keplers first law?

Answer 2

All planets move in an elliptical orbit around the sun with the sun at on focus of each eclipse.

Question 3

What is Keplers second law?

Answer 3

An imaginary line from a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal intervals of time.

Question 4

What is Keplers third law?

Answer 4

We don’t need to know the complex details but there is a simple equation relating to the orbital period of a planet around the sun in years (T) and it’s mean distance from the sun in au (r):
T squared = r cubed.