Question

Why did the astronomer Copernicus propose a heliocentric model of the solar system instead of the accepted geocentric model?

A. The geocentric model was only widely accepted by Greek astronomers.
B. Copernicus's telescope allowed him to see other planets orbiting the Sun.
C. The heliocentric model explained some observations more accurately than the geocentric model.
D. Space exploration by Copernicus's time had proven that the Sun was the center of the solar system.

Answer 1

Copernicus proposed the heliocentric model as it provided a simpler and more accurate explanation for astronomical observations, including the phases of Venus and planetary orbits, than the geocentric model.

Step-by-step explanation:

Astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system because it explained some astronomical observations more accurately than the geocentric model. Instead of Earth, Copernicus placed the Sun at the center of the universe. His predictions, such as the varying phases of Venus which would be visible if it orbited the Sun, and the apparent retrograde motion of planets, were more consistent with observed phenomena than the geocentric theory. Copernicus reasoned that Earth's apparent yearly journey around the Sun and the daily rotation of the celestial sphere could be explained by Earth itself moving around the Sun and rotating on its axis. He demonstrated that the closer a planet is to the Sun, the faster its orbital speed, which helped to explain the orderly structure of the solar system without the need for complex epicycles used in the geocentric model.