Astronomy Flashcards
Astronomy’s place in University
The noblest of the quadrivium, higher mathematics
Use of astronomy early on
Used to compute the church Calendar etc
Astrology
Knowledge of the heavens
-used regularly by medics
Aristotelian view of the heavens
Planets are celestial so do not truly change
Movement of planets
Each planet moves separately
Move in all sorts of strange ways, based around earth
-eg eccentric (not quite centred on earth), epicyclic (centred on something orbiting around earth) etc,
-accounted for changes in speed, direction etc relative to earth
Who invented printing in Europe
Johannes Guthenburg-1440
Copernicus dates
1473-1543
Impact of Witternberg University on Copernicus
Was centre of Lutheran learning, astronomy was linked with natural theology
So it must be perfect
Copernicus’ theory
Heliocentrism- Earth orbits round the sun
Issues with Heliocentrism
Questions importance of human race, perhaps other planets are also changing
Religious response to Copernicus
He dedicated his book to the pope, so relatively well received
- praised his mathematical work
- but insisted that the sun was not at the centre of the universe
What did Tycho Brahe change?
claimed sun and moon orbited round earth, all other planets around the sun
-saves biblical viewpoint and still works out mathematically
Who was Tycho
Danish nobleman, 1546-1601
Strict Lutheran
Became imperial astronomer for Prague at end of his life
Kepler dates
1571-1630
Kepler’s work
Also Lutheran
Claimed Sun was fixed in the centre of the world and is an image of God
Became imperial astronomer/mathematician after Tycho
Wrote New Astronomy
