Mysterious Universe - Science - 6500+ words
1. Research the following models of the universe: Aboriginal, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Tycho Brahe and
Copernicus.
Aboriginal:
In Aboriginal astronomy, the planets are seen as the children of the Sun and the moon. Planets and
constella ons represent ancestors working in the sky and some mes meet with each other. Each
planet had their own dreaming road which is the orbit they moved in around the Sun, all the
planets allowed down or travelled faster , these observa ons were made by the Indigenous people
of Australia. Aboriginal people also observed retrograde mo ons of inferior planets who had a
slower orbit, which created the effect of the planet moving backwards and crea ng a loop. This
phenomenon was regarded as the dreaming road of a planet and how they were like people who
would stop talking and go back or con nue walking forward.
Aristotle:
Aristotle's model of the universe was that the universe was spherical and finite, he also proved the
Earth was spherical because of the curved lines during ellipses. His model of the solar system was
that the Earth was much smaller than the other stars and the stars and other planets orbited Earth.
He also believed that the stars were fixed to their loca on and could not move. Aristotle suggested
that celes al bodies were made up of aether which was the fi h element besides water, earth, fire
and air. He said that aether moved in a circular mo on while the other 4 elements moved in a
straight line.
Ptolemy:
Ptolemy's model of the universe was a model where the Earth was in the middle and the Sun and the
stars were orbi ng Earth, his model was geocentric meaning Earth was in the middle. He studied the
previous findings and discoveries from Greek and Babylonian astronomers on the distances of different
stars and planets. Using mathema cal calcula ons he found out that these celes al bodies orbited
Earth in a circular mo on. His findings concluded that the order of the spheres orbi ng Earth in order
from closest to furthest were: Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn followed by the
further sphere where all the other stars were located.
Tycho Brahe :
The Tycho Brahe model of the universe consisted of both the heliocentric and geocentric model of the
universe. His theory was that the planets revolved around the sun and the Sun revolved around the
Earth, the moon also revolved around the Earth. He also discovered supernovas.
Copernicus:
, Copernicus proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system where the sUn was in the middle and
the planets including Earth moved around it. His theory also said that the Earth moved on its axis
giving us different seasons of the year. His discovery was one of the star ng points of the scien fic
revolu on, his ideas were o en rejected by the scien fic communi es during that me because it
was against the other geocentric model of the universe. He also discovered that the Sun was
sta onary.
2. Outline the history of the telescope and explain how the telescope has contributed to the
development of models of the universe. Include op cal (light) and radio telescopes.
In the early 17th century, scien sts and astronomers introduced a new machine or tool called the
telescope which allowed them to see celes al bodies and spaces much more clearly and magnified.
Modifica ons to the telescope were later made by Galilieo Galelei which increased the magnifica ons
of the telescopes. The inven on of the telescopes started with the magnifica on lenses which made
everything much more clearer, lenses were known by scien sts and people in Egypt but lenses were
only introduced in Europe at the 13th century. The first telescope was made in the Netherlands in
1608 by Hans Lippershey and Jacob Me cus, it was made from a concave and convex lens which
magnified the given image by 3x to 4x. Galileo improved the telescope in 1609 so it magnified
approximately 9x, people were impressed by this new modifica on. He con nued to improve un l the
telescope became very long and had a magnifica on of up to 30x. Another inventor Kepler used two
convex lenses which had very clear views in space but made the image upside down. Next was
Chris an Hugyens who improved the grinding of the lenses and made a new telescope which was 12
feet long, with this he saw Titan(Saturn’s moon). Isaac Newton then improved the telescope using
mirrors so there was a separate eye piece on the side when you can see space. His modifica on would
make telescopes much cheaper and have a wider range of view. Next, the biggest telescope was made
which was over 40 feet long and followed Newton's way of telescopes. Yerkes Observatory in
Wisconsin pushed the limit of telescopes by making a telescope which was 3 feet in diameter; this was
done in 1897. Next, the Radio telescope is able to capture radio waves from Earth and in space, it was
also able to turn 360 degrees and was used to pinpoint loca ons of different stars and also find new
celes al bodies. The Hubble space telescope was sent to space a er this followed by the James Webb
telescope. The inven on of the telescope has led to astronomers discovering countless stars and
nebulas, moons of different planets were also discovered such as Titan. Comets and asteroid belts
were also discovered using telescopes, people were also able to see the surface of planets clearly.
Telescopes allowed us to prove the heliocentric model of the universe which is factually and
scien fically correct. People changed their opinions on where the Earth was situated based on new
evidence which was different from the common misconcep on of the Earth being in the centre of the
solar system.
3. Explain the difference between a Geocentric model and a Heliocentric model of the Solar
System.
1. Research the following models of the universe: Aboriginal, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Tycho Brahe and
Copernicus.
Aboriginal:
In Aboriginal astronomy, the planets are seen as the children of the Sun and the moon. Planets and
constella ons represent ancestors working in the sky and some mes meet with each other. Each
planet had their own dreaming road which is the orbit they moved in around the Sun, all the
planets allowed down or travelled faster , these observa ons were made by the Indigenous people
of Australia. Aboriginal people also observed retrograde mo ons of inferior planets who had a
slower orbit, which created the effect of the planet moving backwards and crea ng a loop. This
phenomenon was regarded as the dreaming road of a planet and how they were like people who
would stop talking and go back or con nue walking forward.
Aristotle:
Aristotle's model of the universe was that the universe was spherical and finite, he also proved the
Earth was spherical because of the curved lines during ellipses. His model of the solar system was
that the Earth was much smaller than the other stars and the stars and other planets orbited Earth.
He also believed that the stars were fixed to their loca on and could not move. Aristotle suggested
that celes al bodies were made up of aether which was the fi h element besides water, earth, fire
and air. He said that aether moved in a circular mo on while the other 4 elements moved in a
straight line.
Ptolemy:
Ptolemy's model of the universe was a model where the Earth was in the middle and the Sun and the
stars were orbi ng Earth, his model was geocentric meaning Earth was in the middle. He studied the
previous findings and discoveries from Greek and Babylonian astronomers on the distances of different
stars and planets. Using mathema cal calcula ons he found out that these celes al bodies orbited
Earth in a circular mo on. His findings concluded that the order of the spheres orbi ng Earth in order
from closest to furthest were: Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn followed by the
further sphere where all the other stars were located.
Tycho Brahe :
The Tycho Brahe model of the universe consisted of both the heliocentric and geocentric model of the
universe. His theory was that the planets revolved around the sun and the Sun revolved around the
Earth, the moon also revolved around the Earth. He also discovered supernovas.
Copernicus:
, Copernicus proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system where the sUn was in the middle and
the planets including Earth moved around it. His theory also said that the Earth moved on its axis
giving us different seasons of the year. His discovery was one of the star ng points of the scien fic
revolu on, his ideas were o en rejected by the scien fic communi es during that me because it
was against the other geocentric model of the universe. He also discovered that the Sun was
sta onary.
2. Outline the history of the telescope and explain how the telescope has contributed to the
development of models of the universe. Include op cal (light) and radio telescopes.
In the early 17th century, scien sts and astronomers introduced a new machine or tool called the
telescope which allowed them to see celes al bodies and spaces much more clearly and magnified.
Modifica ons to the telescope were later made by Galilieo Galelei which increased the magnifica ons
of the telescopes. The inven on of the telescopes started with the magnifica on lenses which made
everything much more clearer, lenses were known by scien sts and people in Egypt but lenses were
only introduced in Europe at the 13th century. The first telescope was made in the Netherlands in
1608 by Hans Lippershey and Jacob Me cus, it was made from a concave and convex lens which
magnified the given image by 3x to 4x. Galileo improved the telescope in 1609 so it magnified
approximately 9x, people were impressed by this new modifica on. He con nued to improve un l the
telescope became very long and had a magnifica on of up to 30x. Another inventor Kepler used two
convex lenses which had very clear views in space but made the image upside down. Next was
Chris an Hugyens who improved the grinding of the lenses and made a new telescope which was 12
feet long, with this he saw Titan(Saturn’s moon). Isaac Newton then improved the telescope using
mirrors so there was a separate eye piece on the side when you can see space. His modifica on would
make telescopes much cheaper and have a wider range of view. Next, the biggest telescope was made
which was over 40 feet long and followed Newton's way of telescopes. Yerkes Observatory in
Wisconsin pushed the limit of telescopes by making a telescope which was 3 feet in diameter; this was
done in 1897. Next, the Radio telescope is able to capture radio waves from Earth and in space, it was
also able to turn 360 degrees and was used to pinpoint loca ons of different stars and also find new
celes al bodies. The Hubble space telescope was sent to space a er this followed by the James Webb
telescope. The inven on of the telescope has led to astronomers discovering countless stars and
nebulas, moons of different planets were also discovered such as Titan. Comets and asteroid belts
were also discovered using telescopes, people were also able to see the surface of planets clearly.
Telescopes allowed us to prove the heliocentric model of the universe which is factually and
scien fically correct. People changed their opinions on where the Earth was situated based on new
evidence which was different from the common misconcep on of the Earth being in the centre of the
solar system.
3. Explain the difference between a Geocentric model and a Heliocentric model of the Solar
System.
