The Solar System Fun

Our Place in the Universe

Our fascination with the Solar System has preceded astronomical antiquity, in a process of conceptualising the cosmos. Fundamental theories of Ptolemy, Copernicus, Brahé, Kepler, Galileo and Newton, have dominated history, stimulating a constant re-evaluation of the nature of the Solar System. In particular, the theories postulated by Copernicus and Kepler had a fundamental influence on the interpretation of the Solar System through challenging the prevailing orthodoxy of Aristotelian physics; thus paving the way for revolutionary challenges to the medieval worldview to prevail. There are a myriad of ideas which have refined the Solar System, however, this article focuses on the two predominant, overarching theories which redefined contemporary society’s understanding of the Solar System: Copernicus’ heliocentric model and Kepler’s elliptical orbit of plants.

History of the Solar System: The evolution

Ptolemy’s model of the Solar System, in the second century, was the first conceptualisation of a standard model of the cosmos. The Ptolemaic model outlined the mathematical representation of the known Solar System, which was inherently rooted in Aristotelian physics[1]. This dictated the key elements of the model, especially the axiom of geocentrism[2][3]. This model is encapsulated in figure 1. Moreover, the convoluted system of epicycles, to account for the apparent retrograde motion, was extremely problematic in forming mathematical representations, due to its complexity[4]. This model prevailed for over a century, however, there were fundamental irreconcilable faults in the model, in particular, geocentrism.

Copernican’s model in 1543 exemplified a paradigm shift from the prevalent geocentric perspec...

... middle of paper ...

...ge, 1957.

‘Tychonic system, 2014. Encyclopædia Britannica, accessed 27 May, 2014, .

Voelkel, J, 2001, The Composition of Kepler’s Astronomia nova, Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Walding, R, Rossiter, G & Rapkins, G 2004, ‘Astrophysics’, New Century Physics: Concepts in context, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, Australia.

Wasson, J 1985, ‘Meteorites: Their record of early solar-system history’ New York, WH Freeman and Co., 1985, p. 240- 274.

Wesley, P 2009, The Copernican Revolution, PowerPoint Presentation, Astrophysics, Pearson Education, delivered 24 May 2014.

Wilbur, A 2000, Encyclopedia of the Scientific Revolution: From Copernicus to Newton, Routledge, .