Modern Astronomy

MODERN
ASTRONOMY
Compare and Contrast
Using the Venn diagram, compare and contrast the Geocentric Model and
Heliocentric model of the universe.
Geocentric Heliocentric
Two distinct characteristics that differentiate it from ancient astronomy
1. The observations become more quantitative in nature.
2. The theories formulated are based on logical and mathematical

concepts and can be confirmed through direct observations using
astronomical instruments like telescopes.
The Developments in
Modern astronomy
Some of the astronomers who had major contributions
in modern astronomy were the following.
 Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 – 1543)

 Tycho Brahe (1546 – 1601)
 Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642)
 Johannes Kepler (1571 – 1630)
NICOLAUS COPERNICUS
(1473 – 1543)
Copernicus retained some of Ptolemy’s ideas on circular
orbits, epicycles and uniform speeds and improves the
model by introducing the following:
 Earth is considered as the one of the planets the move
around the sun in perfect circular orbit.
 Earth rotates on it’s axis daily and revolves around the
sun once a year.
 Earth experiences annual tilting of it’s axis.
 The retrograde motion of the planets is explained by
Earth’s motion.
 The distance from earth to sun is small compared to
Earth’s distance from the stars.
NICOLAUS COPERNICUS’ MODEL OF
THE UNIVERSE
The sun is at rest at the center of the universe and all the
heavenly bodies revolve around it in circular paths.
TYCHO BRAHE (1546-1601)
Made the following important contribution to modern astronomy
 Designed and built huge instruments used to take precise
measurements of the position of the planets and accurate
observations of planetary motions.
 Modified the geocentric model of the universe.
 Discovered supernova in the constellation of Cassiopeia in
1572.
 Made careful observations of a comet in 1577 and showed that
comet is farther away from earth compared to the moon.
 Made observations of planetary motions that were important to
the development of Kepler’s laws and other models of solar
system.
TYCHO BRAHE’S MODEL
OF THE UNIVERSE
Earth is at the center of the universe with the sun and the
moon orbiting it. The other planets are orbiting the sun in
the system.
GALILEO GALILEI (1564-1642)
Built his own comprehensive astronomical telescope to
explore the heavens. Among his significant observations
using his telescope were:
 Sunspots and the rough (uneven and mountainous)
surface of the moon.
 Discovered the moons of Jupiter.
 Discovered that Venus has phases like the moon.
GALILEO’S DISCOVERIES
Moons of Jupiter Phases of Venus
Sunspots and surface

of the moon
JOHANNES KEPLER (1571 – 1630)
Kepler’s analysis on Brahe’s data showed that planetary orbits were
not perfect circles but ellipses.
By studying Brahe’s data, Kepler developed his laws of planetary
motion.
1. First law of planetary motions (law of ellipses)
2. Second law of planetary motion (law of equal areas)
3. Third law of planetary motion (law of harmonies)
1st Law - The law of ellipses
 States that the orbit of the planets are ellipses, with the sun at the focus.
2nd Law – law of equal areas
States that an imaginary line drawn from the sun to a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal time
interval.
-Area A1 is equal to A2 if the Time interval in

T1 is equal to T2.
The time takes for the planet to make one complete revolution is called Period (T).
Kepler also found the relationship between the periods and mean or average distances
of the planets from the sun.
“The ratio of the square of the period of Planet 1 to the cube of its mean distance from
the sun is equal to the ratio of the square of the period of Planet 2 to the cube of its
mean distance from the sun.”
3rd Law – The law of harmonies
 States that the ratio of the square of the period to the cube of the radius is the same for all the
planets.
 It compares the orbital period and the radius of orbit (mean distance from the sun) of the planet
to those of other planets.
Planet Distance from the

Sun (AU)
Mercury 0.387
Venus 0.722
Earth 1.000
Mars 1.520
Jupiter 5.200
Saturn 9.580
Uranus 19.200
Neptune 30.100
Calculations
The distance of Venus from the sun is approximately 0.722 AU. If 1.000 AU is the
distance from Earth to sun, how long will it take Venus to complete one revolution
around the sun?
= = 0.613 Earth year

Any Questions?
ACTIVITY Planet Distance from the
Sun (AU)
Using the formula ,calculate the period
Mercury 0.387
of eight planets (in earth years). Refer
Venus 0.722
from the table given.
Earth 1.000
Mars 1.520
Jupiter 5.200
Saturn 9.580
Uranus 19.200
Neptune 30.100

Modern Astronomy

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MODERN

1. The observations become more quantitative in nature.

2. The theories formulated are based on logical and mathematical

 Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 – 1543)

Moons of Jupiter Phases of Venus

Sunspots and surface

-Area A1 is equal to A2 if the Time interval in

Planet Distance from the

= = 0.613 Earth year

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