Look at the diagram of the solar system.

Question

The solar system shows the sun and planets in their orbits around Earth in this order: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn.

What observation did this geocentric model of the solar system help to explain?

orbit speed
the phases of Venus
retrograde motion
the rising of the Sun

Answer 1

The geocentric model of the solar system, with Earth at the center and the planets orbiting around it, helped to explain the rising of the Sun.

This model was constructed based on the observable motion of celestial bodies from the perspective of Earth, where the Sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west. The other observations, such as the phases of Venus and retrograde motion, are better explained by the heliocentric model put forth by Copernicus.