Definition:Ptolemaic Astronomy/Historical Note
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Historical Note on Ptolemaic Astronomy
Claudius Ptolemy proposed this model of the solar system in his Almagest.
It modelled the actual behaviour of the planets to a high degree of accuracy.
However, when the heliocentric model of the solar system was proposed, it was realised that the latter model was considerably simpler.
When it was determined that the orbits of the planets were in fact elliptical, the resulting model was so much more simple and accurate, the Ptolemaic model was abandoned.
Sources
- 1989: Ephraim J. Borowski and Jonathan M. Borwein: Dictionary of Mathematics ... (previous) ... (next): epicycle: 2. (Ptolemaic astronomy)