Models of Astronomical Phenomena:

Copernican, Ptolemaic and Tychonic

• Objectives
• At the end of this lesson, you should be able
to compare and contrast different models of
astronomical phenomena (Copernican,
Ptolemaic, and Tychonic).
• In Modern Science, what are the members of
the present known Solar System?
• Today, the Solar System consists of eight planets namely
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and
Neptune. All these planets revolve around a massive ball
of helium and hydrogen known as the Sun. There are other
bodies within the Solar System such as moons that revolve
around the planets, asteroids, and planetoids.
• Before this knowledge of our present-day Solar System,
classical astronomers have developed various models to
explain how bodies in the universe are positioned with
respect to each other. Three of the most popular models
are the Copernican, Ptolemaic and Tychonic models.
• Ptolemaic Model
• The Ptolemaic model known as the Geocentric model,
was developed by an Egyptian astronomer Claudius
Ptolemy. It came from the Greek words geo meaning
Earth and centric meaning center. This model explains
that the Earth is the center of the universe and
everything else revolves around it. Each planet moves in
a circular path called epicycle which moves around a
larger circular path called deferent. The moon revolves
around the Earth followed by the other planets.
• Copernican Model
• This is also known as the Heliocentric model developed
by a Polish mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus. It came
from the Greek words helios meaning sun
and centric meaning center. This model explains that the
center of the universe is the Sun and that the majority of
the planets revolve around it. Also, the epicycle moves
in an elliptical motion not circular. The moon revolves
around both the Earth and the Sun while Earth revolves
around the Sun.
• Tychonic Model
• This model was developed by a Danish astronomer Tycho
Brahe. It was the combination of Ptolemaic and
Copernican models. This explains that the planets of the
Solar System revolve around the Sun but the Earth is the
center of the universe. 
The Sun, due to its massive size, attracts the remaining
planets and drags them along its revolution around the
Earth - like metals attracted to a magnet! Simply put, the
Sun revolves around the Earth and the planets revolve
around the Sun.
• Explore!
• Observe the night sky for a week. What do
you notice at the stars? Why do they change
position every night? Also, why do you think
the night sky changes with the seasons?
• Get a tablespoon of sand, a piece of paper,
and a magnet. Place the sand on top of the
piece of paper and the magnet at the bottom
of the paper. Move the magnet at any
direction. What do you notice in the sand?
Why do you think the sand moved in the same
direction the magnet did? How will you relate
it to our topic for today?
• What do you think?
• Which of the three models of the Universe is
most similar to the present day description of
the Solar System?
• Key Points
• Ptolemaic model – The Earth is at the center of the
universe and everything in the universe revolves
around the Earth.
• Copernican model – The Sun is at the center of the
universe and majority of the bodies in the universe
revolves around the Sun.
• Tychonic model – The Earth is at the center of the
universe. The sun revolves around the Earth and all
the other planets revolve around the Sun.