Nicolaus copernicus developed the theory of a heliocentric solar system in the 1500s one hundred years later Galileo galilei invented the telescope was able to provide scientific evidence to support this theory what kind of scientific evidence did Galileo provide for copernicus theory what did he do

Answer 1

Galileo Galilei made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and provided additional scientific evidence to support Copernicus' heliocentric solar system theory. Here are some of the key observations and experiments conducted by Galileo:

1. Observations of the Moon: Galileo observed that the moon had a rough, mountainous surface instead of having a perfectly smooth, translucent appearance as believed in the geocentric model. This supported the idea that the moon, like the Earth, was a solid and imperfect celestial body orbiting a larger object (the Earth in the geocentric model and the Sun in the heliocentric model).

2. Phases of Venus: Galileo observed that Venus goes through a complete set of phases much like the moon. He noted that Venus appears as a full disk when it is on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth, and as a crescent when it is closer to Earth. This observation supported the heliocentric model, as it indicated that Venus was orbiting the Sun and not the Earth.

3. Moons of Jupiter: Galileo discovered the presence of four large moons orbiting Jupiter, now known as the Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto). This observation contradicted the geocentric model, where all celestial bodies were believed to revolve around the Earth. It provided evidence that objects could orbit something other than the Earth, supporting the idea of heliocentrism.

4. Observation of Sunspots: Galileo observed and documented sunspots on the surface of the Sun. These irregular dark spots move across the Sun's disk, indicating that the Sun is not a perfect, unchanging celestial body as claimed by the geocentric model. This observation further challenged the prevailing understanding of the time and supported the heliocentric model.

5. Experiment on Falling Bodies: Galileo conducted experiments on the motion of falling bodies, challenging the Aristotelian view that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones. He demonstrated that regardless of weight, objects with different masses fall at the same rate in a vacuum, which had implications for understanding the motion of celestial bodies.

Overall, Galileo's observations, experiments, and discoveries provided scientific evidence that supported Copernicus' heliocentric theory, leading to a significant advancement in our understanding of the structure and dynamics of the solar system.