Abstract
Copernicus had traced the first lines for achieving an accurate image of the world. Kepler, Galileo and others had committed themselves to demonstrating that the theory of Copernicus was correct and that the Sun, not the Earth, is the centre of the planetary system. However, many problems still remained unanswered, because it was necessary first of all to explain the motion of the heavenly bodies. What causes the planets to orbit in the way suggested by Kepler?
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Notes
- 1.
For example, the two Lagrangian points of Jupiter are located at the vertices of two equilateral triangles formed with the planet and the Sun. Lagrange thought that his solutions had only a theoretical value. Yet in the next century would be discovered two groups of asteroids whose movements are in agreement with the solution of Lagrange (see p. 206).
- 2.
This expression refers to the determination of the position of the Moon at all times, taking into account the attraction of the Earth, the Sun and the influence that is exerted by the attraction of other bodies in the Solar System.
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Dicati, R. (2013). The Mechanical Universe. In: Stamping Through Astronomy. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2829-6_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2829-6_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Milano
Print ISBN: 978-88-470-2828-9
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