Final answer:
The new astronomy of the 1500s and 1600s revolutionized scientific thought with the development of the telescope, the heliocentric model, and the empirical methods of the Scientific Revolution, ultimately contributing to the Enlightenment.
Step-by-step explanation:
New Astronomy in the 1500s and 1600s
The astronomy of the 1500s and 1600s brought about a fundamental shift in scientific thought and methods. This period, often referred to as the Renaissance or the Scientific Revolution, saw the birth of modern astronomy. The invention of the telescope by Hans Lippershey in 1608, and its subsequent use by Galileo Galilei in 1609 to study the solar system, were pivotal developments. These instruments allowed for advancements such as the observations that led Isaac Newton to construct his three laws of motion, profoundly altering the study of kinematics and dynamics.
The work of Copernicus and Galileo differed markedly from that of ancient Greek astronomers and their contemporaries. They challenged the geocentric view of the universe, proposing instead a heliocentric model where Earth and other planets orbit the Sun. Galileo's discoveries, including the phases of Venus and the uneven surface of the Moon, provided tangible evidence that supported these new theories.
This revolution in scientific thought questioned established doctrines and paved the way for the Enlightenment—a time characterized by the critical examination of traditional beliefs and an emphasis on reason and empirical evidence. The methods developed during this era, which included systematic observation, mathematical logic, and the critical analysis of data, fundamentally transformed the way humans understood the universe and their place within it.
The designation of star brightness as magnitudes dates back to the Greek astronomer Hipparchus, who categorized stars based on their apparent brightness. This system, somewhat counterintuitively, assigns smaller numbers to brighter stars and larger numbers to fainter ones, reflecting the ancient technique of categorizing stars by ranks of visible brightness.