Modern

Copernicus

Published Heliocentric theory in 1543

Copernican Explanation of
retrograde motion

Synodic vs sidereal year

Synodic Year Formula
S is the Planet' s synodic period in Earth Years
P is the sidereal period in Earth Years
1 1
  1 , for inferior planets Mercury & Venus (P  1)
S P
1
1
 1  , for superior planets Mars, Jupiter (P  1)
S
P

Heliocentric Calculations of
Planetary distances

Tycho Brahe (1572)

Tycho’s Sextant

Tycho’s Quadrant

The Tychonic Universe

Galileo (1609)

Sun Spots

Moon Blemishes

Galilean Moons of Jupiter

Universal Acceleration of
Gravity

Kepler (~1609)

An Ellipse

Eccentricity, Foci, Axes

Eccentricity

Kepler’s Second Law

Planet Years vs. Distance

Year vs. Distance Plot

Log-Log Plot

Orbital Speed vs. Distance

Kepler’s Three Laws

Newton (1666)

Newton’s Universal Gravitation

Inverse Square Law

Newton’s form of Kepler’s Third
Law
3

GM sun
r

2
2
T
4π

Escape Velocity

Escape Velocity

Types of Orbits