Questions on Historical Astronomy

    1. What is the main reason naked eye astronomy was easier in the past?

    2. What are two ancient uses of Astronomy?

    3. What is the chief difference between Ptolemy's and Copernicus' ideas for the arrangement of the solar system?

    4. For what scientific reason did the ancient Greeks favour Ptolemy's idea?

    5. What is the chief difference between Copernicus' and Kepler's ideas for the arrangement of the solar system?

    6. What was the key factor that allowed Kepler to be confident in his new ideas, compared to those of Ptolemy for example?

    7. Discuss in a few sentences what the church objected to in Galileo's ideas.

    8. (I am not looking for a specific answer here but your response must fit what we know about Galileo, his ideas and the church of the time).

    9. "Newtons law of Gravity is more general when compared to Kepler's laws of motion." Discuss in a few sentences what I mean by general in the above sentence. In science a theory that is more general is usually considered better.

    10. Include an example of when Kepler's laws cannot be used but Newton's law can. (hint: Something simple and everyday will do.)