Early tools astronomy

That all changed in the 16th century, when Nicolaus Copernicus , a Polish astronomer tiring of the cumbersome and imprecise nature of the Ptolemaic model, began working on a theory of his own.

He thought there had to be a better way to explain the perceived motions of planets and the Moon in the sky. He theorized that the Sun was at the center of the universe and Earth and other planets revolved around it. Seems simple enough, and very logical. However, this idea conflicted with the Holy Roman church's idea which was largely based on the "perfection" of Ptolemy's theory. In fact, his idea caused him some trouble. That's because, in the Church's view, humanity and its planet were always and only to be considered the center of all things.

The Copernican idea demoted Earth to something the Church didn't want to think about. Since it was the Church and had assumed power over all knowledge, it threw its weight around to get his idea discredited. But, Copernicus persisted. His model of the universe, while still incorrect, did three main things.

It explained the prograde and retrograde motions of the planets. It took Earth out of its spot as the center of the universe. And, it expanded the size of the universe. In a geocentric model, the size of the universe is limited so that it can revolve once every 24 hours, or else the stars would get slung off due to centrifugal force.

So, maybe the Church did fear more than a demotion of our place in the universe since a deeper understanding of the universe was changing with Copernicus's ideas. Yet, he paved the way for further scientific understanding. His book, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies, which was published as he lay on his deathbed, was a key element in the beginning of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment.

In those centuries, the scientific nature of astronomy became incredibly important , along with the construction of telescopes to observe the heavens. Those scientists contributed to the rise of astronomy as a specialized science that we know and rely upon today. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Various types of equipment are used for astronomy depending on the section of the electromagnetic spectrum that an astronomer needs to observe, according to Astronomy Online. The telescopes sport additional devices such as filmless charged coupled device cameras, a range of filters and spectrometers.

These tools enable capture of phenomena not visible to the naked eye. He has excelled not in the field of astronomy alone but in the field of geography, mathematics, poetry, and music as well. He is well-known for several astronomical breakthroughs.

His computation was off by only a few hundred or a few thousand miles. It is closely accurate considering the lack of apt technology during that time.

Pythagoras is another Greek philosopher who is better known for mathematics but also has contributions in Astronomy.

He postulated that the earth is spherical in shape as other celestial bodies are. He came up with this idea when he saw ships disappear past the horizon as they sail.

He was the first to suggest that the movement of the planets, sun, moon, and stars could be equated in numbers. There are numerous contributions of Ancient India in the field of Astronomy but the most notable one was by Aryabhatiya. It is through him that Indian astronomy veered away from the mystical and religious and towards the scientific. Although his works are under the premise that the world is geocentric, many are still of value to modern mathematics and astronomy.

Aryabhatiya was able to assume that the Earth is rotating on its axis and that the Moon and other planets shine through reflected light from the Sun.

Mayan astronomers sought guidance from the sky. They were particularly interested in studying the motion of the stars, sun, and other planets.

The ancient Mayans have managed to observe and document these movements through shadow-casting devices they invented. It is through these observations that they developed the Mayan Calendar to keep track of the passage of time. Having one of the most advanced and affluent cultures, Ancient Egypt has significant contributions to astronomy of today.

Just like in any ancient civilization, the movements and patterns of the sky ignited the creation of myths to explain astronomical events. The Egyptians are not an exemption to this. They have huge pyramids and temples based on astronomical positions.