Geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world: essence, meaning and differences

The place of the Earth in the system of the universe from ancient times excited the thinkers. The lack of technical means for the accurate study of space objects and the insignificant experience of astrophysics, derived from previous generations, did not allow scientists of Ancient Greece and the Middle Ages to form a complete and correct view of the structure of the universe. Nevertheless, the authors of the first theories of cosmology laid the foundation on which later the foundations of modern knowledge were formed. And geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world have special significance in this sense, stimulating generations of scientists and thinkers of different times to conduct new research.

The concept of geocentrism

It is a system of the universe, in which the central place is given to the Earth. The Sun rotates around its axis. In accordance with the geocentric coordinate system, the initial reference point is also located on the Earth. It is important to note that, according to this theory, the universe is limited. The answer to the question of who created the geocentric system of the world is now known, although multiple variations of the theory allow one to speak of several authors. Still, the ancestor of this concept was Claudius Ptolemy, who initiated the idea of the central location of the Earth in the universe. If we talk about different interpretations of this theory, then Thales Miletsky, for example, considered it necessary to have support from the globe.

There are also versions that the Earth occupies a permanent position and does not even rotate. On the other hand, the geocentric system of the world of Ptolemy in the classical form presupposes the rotation of celestial bodies. In particular, his research began with an analysis of the relationship of the Moon, which moved around the planet. Later the author of the theory came to the conclusion about the rotation of the planet itself. Parallel to this, various assumptions were made as to how the Earth maintains its permanent position.

Astronomical phenomena in the geocentric system

Explanation of the uneven motion of celestial bodies represented the greatest difficulties for the ancient Greek astronomers. New ideas about the motion of planets on different eccentrics shed light on the relationship between the luminaries, but at the same time set difficult tasks of a different order. In this case, the geocentric system of the world of Ptolemy had divergences from the Pythagorean-Platonic teachings, according to which the celestial bodies had a divine origin - hence, they had to perform only uniform motions. Adherents of this theory developed special models, where complex object movements were interpreted as the cumulative result of the addition of several uniform rotations along the circumference. True, with the advent of the theory of bisection eccentricity, such concepts have lost relevance.

Justification of the geocentric system of the universe

Among the main tasks facing geocentricists, it is necessary to highlight the rationale for the central place of the Earth and its immobility. If, with respect to the second condition of the universe, even the author of the geocentric system of the world, Claudius Ptolemy expressed himself critically, then the idea of the position of the planet remained the basis of the theory. One of the supporters of this concept was Aristotle, who justified the central place of the globe with its weight. According to the world view of that time, only the center of the universe can be a natural place for heavy bodies . This understanding was reinforced by the fact that heavy weight causes objects to fall vertically. Since all the cosmic bodies are directed toward the center of the world, a heavy Earth is more likely to be at this point.

There were other theories explaining the central position of the Earth. For example, Ptolemy supported the idea of the impossibility of the planet occupying another place in the universe. This was explained quite simply - by excluding the northern or southern location of the Earth relative to the center. The thinkers evaluated how the shadows from the Sun could fall under this configuration, and came to the only possible, in their opinion, variant of the planet's placement - in the center. It must be said that the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world will in the future disperse precisely in the understanding of this condition of the configuration of the universe.

Geocentrism in the Renaissance

Starting from the early Middle Ages, astronomers began to actively develop and develop other versions of this configuration. For example, in the Renaissance, European scholars devoted much attention to the theory of homocentric spheres. Along with this, the prerequisites for a model that combined geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world arose, at least in some aspects. Supporters of such a combination believed that the Earth is still the center of the world, and still, while the Moon and the Sun revolve around its axis. In this case, the remaining planets were supposed to rotate around the Sun. Such a hypothesis formed the main competition for a full-fledged heliocentric theory. It is important to note other directions in which scientists of the Renaissance developed geocentrism. For example, under the influence of natural philosophy, many astronomers turned to the study of the moon and sublunar worlds. By the way, even Aristotle believed that the heavens are as variable as the Earth. Opinions were also expressed that denied the existence of heavenly spheres.

Rejection of geocentrism

Intensive development of science in the XVII century. Allowed to systematize the accumulated knowledge and improve the idea of the universe. In this context, the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world could no longer coexist, since the second concept was increasingly affirmed by outstanding thinkers, among whom were Copernicus and Galileo. Among the main scientific events that contributed to the rejection of geocentrism, the creation of the theory of planetary motions is especially prominent. A significant contribution to the advancement of astronomy was made by the telescopic discoveries of Galileo, as well as by the discovery of Kepler's laws.

It is worth noting that geocentrism has long supported the church. Religious supporters of this theory believed that the Earth was created by divine power specifically for man, so its central place in the universe is logical and logical. Despite such support, the geocentric system of the Copernican world was transformed into a new theory that rejected the central place of the Earth. More advanced telescopic research completely rejected classical geocentrism and paved the way for heliocentrism.

The essence of the heliocentric system of the world

Although the peak of development of this concept occurred during the Renaissance, its origins originate in Ancient Greece. The fact is that in the time of Ptolemy, the most attractive was the concept of geocentrism, which left heliocentrism in the shadows. Gradually, the situation changed, which allowed supporters of the alternative point of view to assert their worldview. There was this system in the Pythagorean school. As the author of the heliocentric system of the world, Philolaus of Croton believed, the Earth is no different from other planets and moves around a mystical object, but not the Sun. In the future this idea was perfected by other thinkers, and by the Renaissance the adherents of the theory came to the opinion that the Sun is the central body and the Earth revolves around it. Later, Copernicus developed a system in which the planets made circular uniform motion.

Comparison of the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world

For a long time, the proponents of the two concepts could not come to an agreement on several fundamental aspects. The fact is that both theories had a lot of variations, changed and improved, but the basic principles remained unshakable. The main differences between the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world were reduced to the place of the Earth in the Universe and its relation to the Sun. Supporters of the first concept believed that the planet occupies a central position. And, on the contrary, geocentrism assumes that the Earth rotates around the Sun, while also turning around its axis.

The development of heliocentrism by Kepler

The theory from the moment of its first formulation has considerably changed by the end of the 16th century. We can say that the creator of the heliocentric system of the world in a form close to the modern understanding is Johann Kepler, who made a significant contribution to the development of astronomy. Even during his studies, he realized the importance of explaining the complex movements of the planets. In the future, he will develop the possibilities for calculating the scale of the planetary system with the help of observational data.

From the scientific knowledge formulated by Kepler, one can note the motion of planets along an ellipse, the introduction of the concept of an orbit, and the justification of new laws that determine the position of the Earth relative to the Sun. Of course, the Pythagorean creator of the heliocentric system of the world, most likely, did not anticipate how far his concept could be developed. But it was the thinkers of antiquity that allowed us to strengthen the idea of the most accurate world order.

The influence of heliocentrism on the development of physics

The dissemination of the theory contributed to the development of physics and mechanics. The fact is that for scientists who conducted research in these areas, there was an important question - why the movement of the globe is not felt by people? The answer was the relativity of the movement. The geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world in different ways represent the action of gravity. In the first case, the nested spheres are the basis of this force, and on the basis of heliocentrism the law of relativity was subsequently formulated, as well as the principle of inertia. On the basis of this knowledge, scientists developed a general method by which virtually all problems of mechanics were solved.

The Significance of the Heliocentric System of the World

In the process of solving problems, which at different times put heliocentric concept of the universe, scientists were able to formulate the principles by which the planetary system is arranged. The basis of these studies were planetary movements, which, in turn, had an impact on the development of physics. It can be said that the adherents of this theory laid the foundation for mechanics in its classical form. But it is much more interesting to answer the question about what is the significance of the heliocentric system of the world from the point of view of astronomy. First of all, the system stimulated research in the field of stellar cosmology, which allowed us to discover new expanses of the universe. In addition, due to disputes around heliocentrism, a distinction was made between scientific knowledge and religion.

Conclusion

Despite the significant advancement of technological means of space exploration, even today the debate about the place of the Earth in the Universe in which the geocentric and heliocentric system of the world is affected is not abating. The sun, as before, is one of the cornerstones in discussions of this kind. For example, many creation scientists recognize that no one can give an absolutely accurate answer to the questions about the nuances of the rotation of the globe at this stage of progress. As for the central position in the universe, here again not all is unambiguous. The point is that in the infinity of space any point can be considered as a center, so there is no need to speak about the complete victory of heliocentrism over geocentrism.