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This geocentric (Earth-centered) model of the solar system was the most popular theory of the solar system’s organization among the Greek philosophers, although it would be standardized and refined by a later astronomer, Ptolemy. Heracleides of Pontus first proposed the concept that the Earth made a daily rotation, although he also believed that the Sun and the other planets orbited the Earth each day. Because the telescope had not yet been invented, many early debates centered around heavenly bodies that could easily be seen from Earth and what the structure of the solar system was. Thales of Miletus was one of the first great mathematicians of Western civilization and the first (585 BC) to successfully predict the timing of an eclipse.

Over the centuries, this model of discovery and debate brought many changes and new discoveries to the study of astronomy. Many of today's colleges still aspire to this way of learning. Students would gather around a teacher, perhaps in a beautiful grove, and ask questions and discuss among themselves what might be the answers and the best ways to figure out those answers. They were famous for their schools of higher knowledge, which were rather different from ours. The Greek scholars brought changes to the study of the stars. Babylonia would eventually fall to the Persians in 539 BC and lose its power and independence, but its people would always be fascinated by the stars, and a newer group of scholars in Greece would learn from them. Babylonians also developed a system of sophisticated geometry to predict the movements of planets, such as Jupiter/Marduk. They were the first to identify the solstices and equinoxes of each year with the rising of four constellations, which they identified with animals: “the Bull” for vernal equinox, “the Lion” for summer solstice, “the Scorpion” for autumnal equinox, and “the Goat” for winter solstice.

They created MUL.APIN, an early list of stars classified into constellations, at around roughly 1000 BC.

They began to examine the same planets and stars in the sky at different times of year and in different places. Priests would then perform various rituals, attempting to prevent the disaster.īecause the movements of the planets and stars were so important, Babylonians began to develop an exact science to analyze their positions. These movements, perceived as omens, were used to predict many important things, such as crop failures and war and tended to be written in a “if (x planet/star) does this, then (y event) will occur” format. The movements of Jupiter, Venus, and the other planets were believed to be messages from the gods rather than the gods themselves and were very important in Babylonian religion. Particular devotion was given to the movements of Jupiter, which they identified with their chief god Marduk, and Venus, associated with Ishtar, their goddess of war and love. The planets of our solar system, which were believed to be the brightest “stars” in the night sky, were most important to them. The Babylonians believed that the Universe was divided into six levels with three heavens, the topmost being a “heaven of stars” which the gods used to communicate with them. How could they understand the will of the gods to predict what would occur in their future?Īstronomy began by serving the Babylonians not as a science but as a part of their religion. As it became a seat of power, Babylonia’s people started to ask questions about their gods and the world around them. From roughly 2300 to 1879 BC, Babylonia grew from a small town to a large city and at last became the capital of an empire. People in the land of Babylonia (Iraq and Syria in modern times) created a large city on the banks of the Euphrates River. The Babylonians: Astrologers and Astronomers Excerpt from a Babylonian Astrology Treatise, opens a new window by The Louvre (Purchase, 1913), Photo by Poulpy, opens a new window / CC By-SA 3.0, opens a new windowĪnd yet, this began to change in the early days of civilization. It was felt there was no need to truly understand them or put them in any kind of order. The heavens above were anyone's guess, and the way things were was just the way the gods had made them. Thousands of years ago, these things were not widely known. You also probably know that planets other than our own have moons and the way to test to see whether or not something is true is by experimenting.

You know, because you've been told, that the Earth revolves around the Sun.