was flawed, Copernicus was the first to combine physics and mathematics, to produce a working model that was giant step forward towards a correct astronomical model (Treasure-Trove 1-5).It would take the careful observations of Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), under the thoughtful analysis of Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), with the supporting empirical observation of Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) with the use of a telescope of astronomical observations for the first time, to convince the western world that the heliocentric model was the correct view of the Universe. Even with this seemingly overwhelming evidence, not all accepted the heliocentric model, because the Church stuck to the geocentric model, which was agreed with the language and descriptions of the Universe in the Bible. The Church was involved in a fundamental struggle of it’s own with the Protestant Reformation. The Church could not admit it had been wrong about the basic form of the Universe, without chancing that it’s detractors would then say it had been also wrong about other basic tenets (Stearns 230-232). Galileo’s observations and writings were instrumental in changing the Western world’s view, but it would take the equal brilliance of Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) to really expound upon the physics, empirical data and mathematics of the his predecessors and explain the workings of the known Universe of that time (Chaisson 34-50).The current understanding of the Universe is that the planets revolve around the sun, but the Sun itself is by no means at the center of the known Universe. Modern astronomers, and scientists are face the same handicap that the ancients faced, one can only propose theories and come to conclusions based upon current knowledge and sometimes wild speculation, but one still has to wonder how that current accepted facts will hold up to future discoveries of science and astronomy. BibliographyAdler, Philip J. World Civilization...
