Question

What is a geocentric model

Answer 1

The geocentric model is an astronomical theory that places the Earth at the center of the universe, with all celestial bodies—including the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars—orbiting around it. This model was widely accepted in ancient cultures and was formalized by philosophers such as Aristotle and Ptolemy.

Ptolemy's version, known as the Ptolemaic system, was particularly influential in the second century AD. It accounted for the apparent retrograde motion of planets through the use of complex systems of circles (called epicycles) within circles. The geocentric model dominated Western astronomical thought for many centuries until the heliocentric model, which places the Sun at the center of the solar system (developed by Copernicus in the 16th century), gained acceptance with subsequent observations and developments in astronomy.

The geocentric model is now considered historically significant but is incorrect according to modern scientific understanding of the solar system and the universe.