Question

Which statement best describes how Galileo's observations supported Copernicus's heliocentric model and contradicted the accepted geocentric model?

A) Galileo observed phases of Venus, which could only occur in a heliocentric system.

B) Galileo discovered the moons of Jupiter, supporting the idea of Earth as the center of the universe.

C) Galileo's observations of Mars revealed irregular retrograde motion, consistent with a geocentric model.

D) Galileo's observations of the Moon's surface proved the Earth was stationary at the center of the universe.

Answer 1

The best description of Galileo's support for the Copernican model is that he observed Venus's phases which only align with a heliocentric system. These observations contradicted the existing geocentric model.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that best describes how Galileo's observations supported Copernicus's heliocentric model and contradicted the accepted geocentric model is: A) Galileo observed phases of Venus, which could only occur in a heliocentric system. Galileo's telescopic discoveries revealed that Venus goes through different phases like the Moon, an observation that could only be explained if Venus orbited the Sun, as posited by the Copernican model. This was inconsistent with the Ptolemaic geocentric model, which predicted different phases. Additionally, Galileo discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter, evidence in favor of the heliocentric theory as it showed that not everything revolved around the Earth.