Astronomical Phenomena Before Telescopes Quiz

Study Notes

Stars and Light

Stars reflect light from the sun, whereas light from distant stars is not as steady as light from nearer planets.
Twinkling is a characteristic of starlight, which can be observed by covering one eye or looking at the star from a different angle.

Tycho Brahe's Contributions

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) was a Danish nobleman who made accurate observations of heavenly bodies and collected important data on their motion.
He measured the positions of stars, planets, the Moon, and the Sun every night and day, recording these measurements for years.
Brahe observed a new star in the constellation of Cassiopeia in 1572, which challenged the belief that the celestial realm was fixed and unchanging.
He also observed a comet in 1577, providing evidence that things moved in the celestial sphere.

Brahe's Model of the Cosmos

Brahe's model proposed that all planets orbited the Sun, while the Sun and the Moon orbited the Earth.
His model allowed for the path of Mars to cross through the path of the Sun.

Johannes Kepler's Contributions

Johannes Kepler (born 1571) made significant contributions to astronomy, combining mathematics and astronomy with mystical ideas about astrology.
Kepler worked for Tycho Brahe, publishing Brahe's data in Rudolphine Tables.
Unlike Brahe, Kepler accepted a heliocentric (sun-centered) model of the universe.

Astronomical Phenomena Known Before the Telescope

Ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Chinese, Mayans, and Polynesians, observed and recorded various astronomical phenomena.
These phenomena included the yearly cycle of Sirius, comets, meteors, dark spots on the Sun, and the movements of Venus.
The Babylonians and Egyptians used a primitive sundial, called a gnomon, to observe the motion of the Sun and record seasonal changes.

Phases of the Moon

Ancient people observed that the Moon changes its path and appearance within a period of 29.5 days.
They recorded the phases of the Moon, from a thin semi-circular disk to a full circular disk, which formed the basis of ancient calendars.

Description

Learn about the observational astronomy techniques used by early astronomers like Brahe and the planetary laws of motion developed by Kepler. Understand how to differentiate between stars and planets based on their light behavior.