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& the Advent of the Scientific Method ASTRONOMY
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ASTRO DAY 1
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ASTRONOMY – SCIENTIFIC* STUDY OF SPACE Observations and explanations of celestial bodies, universe geography, movement, formation, energy… Includes cosmology, the study of the origin of and the behavior of the universe. * Not to be confused with Astrology a pseudoscience that uses celestial positions to predict events on Earth
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Ancient Peoples Studied the Skies Built physical calendars - need to know the time of the year for planting & harvesting Community cultural centers - pagan celebrations of the solstices South America EuropeAsia North America
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They Observed, and Inferred Scientific observatory (Incan) Mythical explanation (Mayan)
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Observation 1= Sun, Moon, Stars in Motion http://vimeo.com/42576356
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ASTRONOMY & WESTERN THOUGHT Observed: stars/moon/sun in motion but no evident Earth motion Inferred: geocentric universe- all object revolve in perfect circles around Earth Why circles?-the perfect geometric shape No experimentation; Aristotle's reasoned explanation was enough Aristotle 384-322 BC
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WanderingStars Pose a Challenge Mars in Gemini December Mars in Leo July Planets Move Independent of Constellations Planet= wanderer in Latin
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Wanderers Change Course Retrograde motion http://www.davidcolarusso.com/astro/ http://www.lasalle.edu/~smithsc/Astronomy/retrograd.html Planets Appear to move backwards (Retro) and then forward again What might cause this?
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New Observations Dictate a New Hypothesis Ptolomy creates epicycles- orbits on orbits - to explain retrograde motion Many tries but cant make epicycles work (80+!) Still, a lasting hypothesis http://astro.unl.edu/naap/ssm/a nimations/ptolemaic.swf Ptolomy 140 AD
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ASTRO DAY2
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Need a New Hypothesis Unable to make epicycles work also Instead: Proposes the universe is heliocentric (sun centered); orbits are still perfect circles Waited until old age to publish, and then in Italian, not Latin why? Copernicus 1473-1543 AD http://science.larouchepac.com/kepler/newastronomy/part1/copernicus.html
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Copernicus -no evidence it just made sense Its an optical illusion - the planets simply move at different speeds like passing a slower car on the freeway: it appears to go backwards Possible Explanation to Retrograde
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The Advent Of Empiricism Used a telescope to generate evidence in support of heliocentric model 1. Discovered Jupiter had moons 2. Phases of Venus make clear Venus orbits the sun Gailileo Galilei 1564-1642 Venus phases diagram and animation
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Data Makes The Difference Tycho Brahe 1546-1601 Johannes Kepler 1571-1630 Inferred the movement of the planetary orbits & made 3 laws Couldnt make sense of it 35 yrs of detailed data on planet positions Inherited and analyzed the data Video summary
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Keplers 1 st Law of Planetary Motion: ovalness = eccentricity http://www.physics.sjsu.edu/tomley/Kepler12.html The planets orbits are ellipses with the sun at one of two foci
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Keplers 2nd Law of Planetary Motion Planet must go faster when closer to sun and slower when farther from sun Almost worked out gravity! http://www.physics.sjsu.edu/tomley/Kepler12.html http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072482621/student_view0/interactives.html# The planets sweep out equal areas in equal time
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Keplers 3rd Law of Planetary Motion p 2 =d 3 p = period in years d = distance in astronomical units (AU) 1AU = distance between sun and Earth (150,000,000km) boojum.as.arizona.edu
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