Lecture 3 Flashcards
When was the earliest recorded observation of a supernova?
4500BC +/- 1000BC
(The record of this event was a carving in a stone resembling two suns)
What is the significance of stone henge?
It had astronomical significance for solar and spiritual events
What is the Antikythera Mechnanism?
An analogue computer created by the Greeks in about 100BC that could compute moon phases, eclipses and astronomical events
What is Ptolemaic model of the Solar System (100-170AD)?
Geocentric model (Earth was the centre)
What was Islamic Astronomy (1025-1450AD)?
Observed the phases of the moon and developed doubts about the Ptolemic world view
What were Copernicus’ (1453) propositions?
Modelled the sun as the centre but modelled planetary motion as a circular orbit
What were Tycho Brahe’s observations?
Compiled the most accurate naked eye measurements but as he could not detect stellar parallax he thought the Earth must be at the centre.
What did Johannes Kepler propose?
Proposed elliptical orbits and Kepler’s three laws.
What are Galileo’s discoveries?
The moons of Jupiter
Phases of Venus- this supported the heliocentric model
What are the key elements of a scientific theory?
-observation
-simple as possible
-testable predictions
-a theory must: explain things clearly, be supported by lots of evidence and not have failed to support any important tests
What is a supernova?
A way in which a star can die
Who was Eratosthenes?
A Greek astronomer who calculated the circumference of the Earth with trigonometry.
