One philosopher in antiquity proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system.
ID: 3494352 • Letter: O
Question
One philosopher in antiquity proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system. This was Aristarchus of Samos (310 BC - c. 230 BC). His argument was simply that if we assume Mercury and Venus orbit the Sun then their clustering with the Sun is explained. So then why not assume that all the planets orbit the Sun, and the Earth too? With hindsight we know he was right, but at the time it seemed a preposterous suggestion. It did not fit the astronomical observations. The fixed stars ought to display parallax if the Earth is moving. They should appear to move in circles during the year as the Earth orbits the Sun. Yet no such parallax was observed. Aristarchus responded by proposing that the fixed stars were much, much farther away than anyone had realized, so the parallax was too small to see. Again we know with hindsight he was right but it was illogical to grant him this special pleading. But the really compelling reason for dismissing the heliocentric hypothesis was that it defied known physics. If the Earth was moving it had to be going at a fantastic speed. It was the experience of people in those days that you knew when you were moving fast. The horse galloped, the chariot bumped along, the ship threw up spray. Aristarchus could not explain how we could be moving at speed and not know it. And indeed it was not until the 16th century AD when Galileo finally explained what we call "Galilean relativity". So Aristarchus was rejected. But his theory did get enough attention that it was not forgotten and indeed we still have Aristotle's explicit arguments against Aristarchus. So the Greeks recognized the elegance of the theory but they could not accept it.Explanation / Answer
The heliocentric model of Aristarchos of Samosa was rejected because:
C: the Earth was moving the stars should seem to shift. ( the correct option)
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