Ok, so we have this assignment at school about retrograde motion
I know what it is. It is when a star, etc. moves backwards across the sky.
I know ptolemy said it had something to do with epicycles, i.e. that because the other planets were moving on circles on circles, we would see them moving in a spiral motion
I know copernicus said it would look that way because none of the other planets in our solar system are on the same orbit size, they will either be moving faster or slower than us, and so will appear to be moving forwards when we are near them and backwards when we are on the opposite side to them.
My problem is that i dont understand what we believe to day. do we still believe the copernican model? or do we have a completely new one?
any light shed on the subject would be really helpful, becaus eat the moment i am tearing my hair out.
I know what it is. It is when a star, etc. moves backwards across the sky.
I know ptolemy said it had something to do with epicycles, i.e. that because the other planets were moving on circles on circles, we would see them moving in a spiral motion
I know copernicus said it would look that way because none of the other planets in our solar system are on the same orbit size, they will either be moving faster or slower than us, and so will appear to be moving forwards when we are near them and backwards when we are on the opposite side to them.
My problem is that i dont understand what we believe to day. do we still believe the copernican model? or do we have a completely new one?
any light shed on the subject would be really helpful, becaus eat the moment i am tearing my hair out.