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How Did Copernicus Heliocentric Model Explain Why The Planets Sometimes Move Backwards

Satisfactory Essays

1) Suppose this evening here in Montana, you look up at the sky, and you see a bright star low on the horizon, exactly due East. Where will that star appear to be six hours later? (Hint: It will NOT be directly overhead.) • If I were to look up at the sky and see a bright star low on the horizon, exactly due East six hours later it would appear at its highest point due North. 2) Suppose this evening here in Montana, you look up at the sky, and you see a bright star low on the horizon, exactly due East. Where will that star appear to be 12 hours later? • If I were to look up at the sky and see a low star on the horizon, exactly due East twelve hours later it would appear to be low on the horizon due West. 3) Suppose this evening here in Montana, …show more content…

• Ptolemy’s geocentric model explained that the planets moved backwards because the planets moved around in small orbit called the epicycle that revolved in much larger circles around Earth. 17) How did Copernicus’ heliocentric model explain why the planets sometimes move backwards? • Copernicus heliocentric model explained that the planets sometimes move backwards by coming up with the idea that Earth and all the other planets circled the sun. He also concluded that if a planet was closer to the sun the great the orbital speed it would have. Kepler’s 3rd law, p^2 = a^3, applies to all objects orbiting our Sun. In this law p is the period of time it takes an object to orbit the Sun, as measured in years, and a is the semi-major axis of this planet’s orbit (its average distance to the Sun), as measured in AU.Using algebra we can solve for either p = a^(3/2) or a = p^(2/3). 18) Suppose we discover an asteroid that is 4.0 AU from the Sun. How much time would it takes this asteroid to complete an orbit? • P^2=a^3 • 8^2=4^3 • 64=64 • It would take 8 years. 19) Suppose we discover a comet that orbits the Sun every 100 years. What would be this planet’s average distance (semi-major axis) from the

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