Johannes Kepler discovered the elliptical nature of planetary orbits while studying the observations of Mars, particularly the precise data collected by Tycho Brahe. Kepler analyzed the apparent retrograde motion of Mars and found that Mars did not move in a circular orbit as previously thought, but rather in an elliptical orbit around the Sun. This observation formed the basis of his First Law of Planetary Motion, which states that planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one of the foci. This was a fundamental shift from the circular orbit model that dominated prior astronomical theories, and it significantly advanced our understanding of planetary motion.
what did johannes kepler discover while studying mars that led to his first law of orbital motion
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