The Ancient Greek Astronomer Who Unveiled the Heliocentric System

Ancient Greek astronomer Aristarchus was the archetypal to observe the heliocentric system, maintaining that the Earth revolves astir the sun. Credit: Flickr/ Rawpixel Ltd CC BY 2.0

Despite being attributed to Copernicus, the Ancient Greek astronomer Aristarchus of Samos was the archetypal to observe the Heliocentric system, maintaining that the Earth revolves astir the Sun.

The sages of antiquity were divided betwixt the advocates of the geocentric mentation of the satellite and those of the heliocentric theory. In different words, the erstwhile believed the Sun rotates astir the Earth, and the second that the Earth rotates astir the Sun.

The former, who had placed the Earth arsenic the halfway of the universe, were the immense majority, portion the second were the minority. Aristarchus, a steadfast believer of the heliocentric strategy was doubted by astir astronomers and physicists of his time.

His astronomical ideas were often rejected successful favour of the acold much fashionable geocentric theories of Aristotle and Ptolemy.

Aristarchus’ enactment connected the question of the Earth has not been saved, but for 1 surviving text: “Treatise connected the Sizes and Distances of the Sun and Moon.”

Yet, his superb theories person been referenced by Greek mathematician Archimedes, Greek biographer Plutarch, and Greek philosopher Sextus Empiricus.

The Greek astronomer’s mentation regarding the Sun arsenic being astatine the halfway of the star strategy posits that the stars are conscionable different bodies akin to the Sun.

Aristarchus of Samos statue astatine the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Credit: Dr. Manuel / Public Domain

Ancient Greeks and the Cosmos

During the 6th period BC, a caller mentation was developed successful Ionia, according to which the beingness astir america tin beryllium understood due to the fact that it has an interior order; hence, its functions tin beryllium read.

Nature is not unpredictable due to the fact that determination are rules followed by assorted earthy processes. This bid of the beingness was admired by Ancient Greek philosophers who named the beingness “Cosmos,” which means “ornament” oregon “adornment.”

Ionian philosophers specified arsenic Thales introduced the thought that successful the Cosmos determination are principles, forces, and earthy laws that tin beryllium understood, truthful determination is nary longer the request to construe phenomena arsenic acts of the gods.

Natural phenomena specified arsenic thunderstorms oregon earthquakes could beryllium understood arsenic acts of nature, not arsenic acts of Zeus oregon different gods.

Based connected the caller reasoning introduced by the Ionian philosophers, Aristarchus worked connected his theories and calculations to scope his Heliocentric system. He was besides influenced by the conception presented by Philolaus of Croton (c. 470 – 385 BCE) of a occurrence astatine the halfway of the universe, but Aristarchus identified the “central fire” with the Sun and helium enactment the different planets successful their close bid of region astir the Sun.

Aristarchus: The Greek Pioneer of the Heliocentric System

The publication of the Ionian philosophers to the enactment of modern astronomical and cosmological subject is decisive.

The pioneer was Aristarchus of Samos (c. 310-230BC), an astronomer, mathematician and geometer of the Alexandrian School and laminitis of the radical, for his time, heliocentric theory.

According to this theory, the evident question of a satellite is cyclical, arsenic observed from Earth. It is periodically correct, i.e. the satellite appears to determination successful the aforesaid absorption and past counterclockwise.

The Greek astronomer understood that the Moon casts nary airy but shines by reflection of the Sun’s light. He believed that if 1 measured the space betwixt the Sun and Moon erstwhile the Moon is half-illuminated (said space suggested by the illumination itself), 1 could cipher their distances.

Using his invention, the “skafion,” a benignant of sundial, Aristarchus determined the space was 87 degrees. Nowadays, it is believed it is 89 degrees. His further calculations were that the Sun was 20 times further distant from the Earth than the Moon. It is really 4 100 times further away.

Aristarchus astatine work. Public Domain

Aristarchus’ Achievements

Through his inquiries into the region of the Sun and Moon from the Earth, it made much consciousness to him that the Sun is astatine the halfway of the different planets.

Aristarchus’ bonzer quality to recognize the celestial phenomena led the Ancient Greek astronomer to the mentation of the heliocentric system.

Using the skafion, helium was capable to find the nonstop clip of the close midday successful a definite spot (and to specify time, successful general, wrong the daylight span).

He was besides capable to find the latitude of the place, the worth of obliquity of the ecliptic orbit, the Sun’s regular deviation, and the days of equinoxes and solstices of the twelvemonth 281 BC.

Overall, Aristarchus is considered among the archetypal who defined the regular rotation of the celestial sphere arsenic a nonstop effect of Earth’s axial rotation.

He besides explained the series of seasons arsenic a effect of the inclination of Earth’s axis of rotation successful narration to the ecliptic level. He is the archetypal Greek astronomer who gave the astir close worth of the evident diameter of some the Sun and Moon.

Aristarchous Observatory connected Mount Helmos successful Peloponnese. Credit: Stelios Tsikas / Wikimedia Commons

Aristarchus’ Work Recognized Centuries Later

Greek astronomer Aristarchus’ heliocentric mentation was not recognized successful his time. Great past scientists and philosophers, specified arsenic Pythagoras, Aristotle, and Ptolemy, were beardown supporters of the geocentric theory.

The Ionian astronomer’s mentation was forgotten for centuries. Yet, on with the Renaissance came the designation of his large work.

In 1543, astir 2 1000 years aft Aristarchus, his mentation was vindicated by the celebrated Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. All Copernicus did was to simply bring backmost into airy the heliocentric theory.

By utilizing the superb ideas of the Ancient Greek astronomer, nowadays, Copernicus is considered to beryllium the astronomer who really introduced the heliocentric theory.

Still, the heliocentric exemplary was not wide accepted until it was mathematically proven by Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) and Aristarchus’ conclusions were validated.