The History of Astronomy Part One The Ancients Astronomy “BC”

People have been studying the heavens for thousands of years.People have been studying the heavens for thousands of years. Astronomical observations have been part of every studied culture, ancient, classical or modern.Astronomical observations have been part of every studied culture, ancient, classical or modern.

Lascaux, in southwestern France, is a complex of caves richly painted with a series of pictures, roughly 17,500 years ago.

French researcher Chantal Jègues- Wolkiewiez has proposed that the gallery of images in the Great Hall represents an extensive star map. Key points on major figures in the group correspond to stars in the main constellations as they appeared in the Paleolithic.

Stonehenge Stonehenge is a double circle of cut stone in England. It was built in stages starting about 2,500 BC.

The arrangement of the stones suggests that Stonehenge may actually be giant solar observatory.The arrangement of the stones suggests that Stonehenge may actually be giant solar observatory.

Eudoxus ( BC) Eudoxus was a Greek philospher and natural scientist.Eudoxus was a Greek philospher and natural scientist. He designed the first known Geocentric (Earth- centered) model of the universe. He designed the first known Geocentric (Earth- centered) model of the universe.

He explained the phases of the Moon, Eclipses, and the fact that Inferior Planets are always near the Sun.He explained the phases of the Moon, Eclipses, and the fact that Inferior Planets are always near the Sun.

The model’s arrangement was (from Earth out): The Moon, Mercury, Venus, The Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, all orbiting in circles… …In nested spheres.

Aristotle ( BC) The Ancient Greeks believed the Earth was a sphere.The Ancient Greeks believed the Earth was a sphere. As early as 500 BC, Pythagoras suggested that the Earth was a sphere as it was the ‘perfect shape.’As early as 500 BC, Pythagoras suggested that the Earth was a sphere as it was the ‘perfect shape.’

Later, the Greek philosopher Aristotle gave two pieces of evidence to argue that the Earth was round:

The shape of Earth’s shadow on the moon during an Eclipse is always curved. Only a sphere can do this.

Some stars are only visible from certain places on Earth. (The Southern Cross is only visible in the southern hemisphere.)