Heliocentrism and Geocentrism - Assignment Example

In the 16th century AD, Copernicus, the famous astronomer revived the ideas of Aristarchus. Copernicus was followed by Johannes Kepler who believed that the sun was the center of the universe. Kepler described the motion of the earth around the sun, and how the moon orbiting the earth. However, Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was the most famous of all supporters of the theory. He invented a telescope for the close observation of stars and planets (Kung H, pp. 3-4). Unfortunately, he was persecuted by the Catholic Church for teaching against the Holy Scriptures.

According to the Church, the Earth was the most significant place and center of the universe. All heavenly bodies including the sun, moon, and stars were arranged by Yahweh for providing light to the earth (Genesis, the Bible). This earth-centered model was recommended by philosophers like Aristotle and Ptolemy. They believed that the earth was stable and the sun and moon moved from east to west. Ptolemy’s theory proposed heaven and hell as the farthest part of space. As we know, the earth-centered theory was only based on mere observations and religious beliefs.