9/24/2017 Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo | Librarypoint

Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle,

Copernicus, and Galileo

You know, because you've been told, that the Earth revolves around the Sun. You also
probably know that planets other than our own have moons, and the way to test to see
whether or not something is true is by experimenting. Thousands of years ago, these
things were not widely known. The heavens above were anyone's guess, and the way
things were was just the way the gods had made them. It was felt there was no need to
truly understand them or put them in any kind of order.

The Greek scholars changed much of that. They were famous for their schools of higher
knowledge, which were rather different than ours. Students would gather around a
teacher, perhaps in a beautiful grove, and ask questions and discuss among themselves
what might be the answers and the best ways to figure out those answers. Many of
today's colleges still aspire to this way of learning.

Ptolemy

Ptolemy was an astronomer and mathematician. He

believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe.
The word for earth in Greek is geo, so we call this idea
a "geocentric" theory. Even starting with this incorrect
theory, he was able to combine what he saw of the
stars' movements with mathematics, especially
geometry, to predict the movements of the planets.
His famous work was called the Almagesti. In order to
make his predictions true, he worked out that the
planets must move in epicycles, smaller circles, and
the Earth itself moved along an equant. None of this
was true, but it made the math work for his
predictions. This flawed view of the Universe was
accepted for many centuries.

Aristotle

http://www.librarypoint.org/early_astronomers 1/8
9/24/2017 Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo | Librarypoint

He is sometimes called the grandfather of science. He studied under the great

philosopher Plato and later started his own school, the Lyceum at Athens. He, too,
believed in a geocentric Universe and that the planets and stars were perfect

spheres though Earth itself was not. He further

thought that the movements of the planets and stars
must be circular since they were perfect and if the
motions were circular, then they could go on forever.
Today, we know that none of this is the case, but
Aristotle was so respected that these wrong answers
were taught for a very long time. Aristotle, outside of
astronomy, was a champion observer. He was one of
the first to study plants, animals, and people in a
scientific way, and he did believe in experimenting
whenever possible and developed logical ways of
thinking. This is a critical legacy for all the scientists
who followed after him.

Copernicus

Well over a thousand years later, Nicolaus Copernicus came up with a radical way of
looking at the Universe. His heliocentric system put the Sun (helio) at the center of our
system. He was not the first to have this theory. Earlier starwatchers had believed the
same, but it was Copernicus who brought it to the world of the Renaissance and used
his

own observations of the movements of the planets to

back up his idea. His ideas, including the revelation
that the Earth rotates on its axis, were too different
for most of the scholars of his time to accept. They
used only parts of his theory. Those who did study his
work intact often did so in secret. They were called
Copernicans.

Galileo

Born in Pisa, Italy approximately 100 years after

Copernicus, Galileo became a brilliant student with an
amazing genius for invention and observation. He had
his own ideas on how motion really worked, as
opposed to what Aristotle had taught, and devised a telescope that could enlarge

http://www.librarypoint.org/early_astronomers 2/8
9/24/2017 Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo | Librarypoint

objects up to 20 times. He was able to use this telescope to prove the truth of the
Copernican system of heliocentrism. He published his observations which went against
the established teaching of the Church. He was brought to trial and, although he made
a confession of wrong-doing, he was still kept

under house arrest for the rest of his life. But it was
too late to lock away the knowledge that Galileo
shared. Other scientists, including Sir Isaac Newton
and Johannes Kepler, seized its importance and were
able to learn even more about the ways of the world
and the heavens beyond.

These early scientists' legacy continues to this day. As

time goes on, we use our instruments, science, math,
reasoning, and creativity to learn more about the
secrets of the Universe. In this way, we are directly
linked to the astronomers of centuries ago who gave
us direction to discover more about the dances of the
planets and the nature of the stars.

In the Library and on the Web

Discovery of the Solar System[1]

http://www.phy6.org/stargaze/Ssolsys.htm[2]
This site from NASA follows the development of ideas about the solar system from
Ptolemy to Copernicus to Galileo.

Makers of Science[3] by Michael Allaby & Derek Gjertsen.

Volume one of this reference set has information on Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo.
The books are available to use at the Porter, Salem Church, Snow, Cooper, and
Montross branches.

Recentering the Universe:The Radical Theories of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and

Newton[4] by Ron Miller

An 88-page round-up of how these early scientists' work

changed everything about people understood their
world.

http://www.librarypoint.org/early_astronomers 3/8
9/24/2017 Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo | Librarypoint

Articles on Ptolemy, Copernicus, Galileo, and Aristotle

can be found in our online databases[5], Biography in
Context, Encyclopaedia Britannica (English, Spanish and
kids' versions) and Kids Info Bits.

Aristotle

Aristotle and Scientific Thought[6] by Steve Parker.

This book captures the life and times of Aristotle, the
ancient Greek philosopher who studied a wide range of
subjects and helped shape early scientific beliefs.
Includes full-color paintings, drawings, and photos.

Aristotle: Philosopher, Teacher, and Scientist [7]by Sharon Katz Cooper.

Contents: Among the trees of Athens -- Life in ancient Athens -- Life in the king's court
-- Investigating the natural world -- Return to Greece -- Thinking about thinking -- On
Earth and the heavens above -- On right and wrong -- Impact of Aristotle -- Life and
times -- Life at a glance.

The Great Thinker: Aristotle and the Foundations of Science[8] by Mary Gow.
This 128-page book stresses the importance of Aristotle's intellectual discoveries on the
future of science.

Aristotle (384–322 BC)[9]

http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/scidiscovery/scientists/aristotle.asp[10]
A quick discussion of Aristotle's accomplishments. Has a full-color depiction of
Aristotle and a diagram of his cosmology from an old source. From Museum Victoria,
Australia.

Copernicus

[11]

Copernicus: Founder of Modern Astronomy [13]

by Catherine M. Andronik.
An enjoyable 128-page biography of the 16th-century Polish scientist that includes
activities on retrograde motion, the solar system, parallax, and an astrolabe. 

http://www.librarypoint.org/early_astronomers 4/8
9/24/2017 Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo | Librarypoint

Nicolaus Copernicus: Father of Modern Astronomy[14] by

Barbara A. Somervill.
The center of the universe -- A childhood in Poland -- A
long-term student -- In the service of the church -- Look
to the stars -- The Copernican theory -- Late in life -- A
scientific revolution -- Late in life -- Life at a glance.

The History News in Space[15] by Michael Johnstone.

Uses a newspaper format to take a look at developments
that led from the ideas of Copernicus and other early
scientists to the technological advances that enabled
man to venture to the moon and beyond.
[12]

Nicolaus Copernicus: Making the Earth a Planet[16]

This eBook from Oxford University Press is targeted to high school students and above.
Click here[17] for information on accessing our eBook collection.

Galileo

Galileo: Astronomer and Physicist[18] by Paul Hightower.

A biography of seventeenth-century Italian astronomer and physicist Galileo that
includes related activities for readers.

Galileo for Kids: His Life and Ideas[19] by Richard Panchyk.

This biography has experiments and activities as well as his life story. Also available
as a Freading online book version.

Starry Messenger: A Book Depicting the Life of a Famous

Scientist, Mathematician, Astronomer, Philosopher,
Physicist, Galileo Galilei[20] created and illustrated by
Peter Sis.
A beautiful retelling, in picture book format, of Galileo's
story which can be used with both younger and older
audiences.

The Galileo Project[21]

http://es.rice.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/[22]
A hypertext source of information on the life and work of
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) and the science of his time.

http://www.librarypoint.org/early_astronomers 5/8
9/24/2017 Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo | Librarypoint

Includes a biography, letters from his daughter, and a tour of his home. From Rice
University.

Galileo's Battle for the Heavens[23]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/galileo/[24]
A timeline of his life, articles on his place in science and his telescope, his mistakes on
predicting the tides, a teachers' guide, and interactives on his experiments with falling
objects, projectiles, inclined planes, and pendulums.

Ptolemy

Ptolemy: Roman Scholar Claudius Ptolemaeus[25]

http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/a/ptolemy.htm[26]
A bit on Ptolemy's life and more about his accomplishments.

Ptolemy, the Man[27]

http://nineplanets.org/psc/theman.html[28]
An overview of Ptolemy's achievements and links to biographical information.

Ptolemy's World[29]
http://www.lib.umn.edu/apps/bell/map/PTO/indexpt.html[30]
Lots of illustrations of Ptolemy's geography, a note on his principle of simplicity, and
links to his texts.

Photo credits:
God as Architect/Builder/Geometer/Craftsman, The Frontispiece of Bible
Moralisee; Unknown circa 1220-1230 [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons {PD-
US}
Sixteenth century engraving of Claudius Ptolemy (AD c100-170) being guided by the muse
Astronomy - Margarita Philosophica by Gregor Reisch, published in 1508 [Public
Domain], via Wikimedia Commons {PD-1923}
Aristotle by Francesco Hayez [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons(1791–1882)
{PD-US}
Nicolaus Copernicus by Unknown, [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons {PD-1923}
Peter Paul Rubens [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons {PD-US}

Links

1. http://www.phy6.org/stargaze/Ssolsys.htm
http://www.librarypoint.org/early_astronomers 6/8
9/24/2017 Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo | Librarypoint

2. http://www.phy6.org/stargaze/Ssolsys.htm
3. http://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/365138072_makers_of_science
4. https://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/649598072_recentering_the_universe
5. http://www.librarypoint.org/research

6. http://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/191185072_aristotle_and_scientific_thought
7. http://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/546056072_aristotle
8. https://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/577129072_the_great_thinker
9. http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/scidiscovery/scientists/aristotle.asp
10. http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/scidiscovery/scientists/aristotle.asp
11. https://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/search?
utf8=%E2%9C%93&t=smart&search_category=keyword&q=copernicus+andronik&commit=Search
12. https://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/search?
utf8=%E2%9C%93&t=smart&search_category=keyword&q=copernicus+andronik&commit=Search
13. https://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/search?
utf8=%E2%9C%93&t=smart&search_category=keyword&q=copernicus+andronik&commit=Search
14. http://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/544844072_nicolaus_copernicus
15. http://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/279357072_the_history_news_in_space
16. http://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/490320072_nicolaus_copernicus
17. http://www.librarypoint.org/ebooks
18. http://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/577671072_galileo
19. https://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/search?
utf8=%E2%9C%93&t=smart&search_category=keyword&q=galileo+panchyk&commit=Search
20. http://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/item/show/192848072_starry_messenger
21. http://es.rice.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/
22. http://es.rice.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/
23. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/galileo/
24. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/galileo/
25. http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/a/ptolemy.htm

26. http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/a/ptolemy.htm
27. http://nineplanets.org/psc/theman.html
28. http://nineplanets.org/psc/theman.html
29. http://www.lib.umn.edu/apps/bell/map/PTO/indexpt.html

http://www.librarypoint.org/early_astronomers 7/8
9/24/2017 Early Astronomers: Ptolemy, Aristotle, Copernicus, and Galileo | Librarypoint

30. http://www.lib.umn.edu/apps/bell/map/PTO/indexpt.html

http://www.librarypoint.org/early_astronomers 8/8