dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaGalileo's Double Star: The Experiment That "Proved" the Earth Did Not Move
| Authors | Christopher M. Graney |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0606255 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0606255 |
Abstract
Great opportunities arise for teaching physics, astronomy, and their histories when new discoveries are made that involve concepts accessible to students at every level. Such an opportunity currently exists thanks to the fact that notes written by Galileo indicating that he observed the double star Mizar in the "Big Dipper" have recently come to light. His measurements of this star, given the scientific knowledge at the time, strongly supported the theory that the Earth was fixed in space and not moving. Had Galileo published these results, it is likely that widespread acceptance of the heliocentric theory in scientific circles would have been significantly delayed. In light of these notes, his later reference in his Dialogue to using double stars as a means of proving that the Earth was in motion is puzzling. The physics and mathematics behind Galileo's work is easily within reach of students in introductory physics and astronomy courses, so discussion of Galileo's Mizar work and its interesting implications can be used in virtually any class.
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"abstract": "Great opportunities arise for teaching physics, astronomy, and their\nhistories when new discoveries are made that involve concepts accessible to\nstudents at every level. Such an opportunity currently exists thanks to the\nfact that notes written by Galileo indicating that he observed the double star\nMizar in the \"Big Dipper\" have recently come to light. His measurements of this\nstar, given the scientific knowledge at the time, strongly supported the theory\nthat the Earth was fixed in space and not moving. Had Galileo published these\nresults, it is likely that widespread acceptance of the heliocentric theory in\nscientific circles would have been significantly delayed. In light of these\nnotes, his later reference in his Dialogue to using double stars as a means of\nproving that the Earth was in motion is puzzling. The physics and mathematics\nbehind Galileo\u0027s work is easily within reach of students in introductory\nphysics and astronomy courses, so discussion of Galileo\u0027s Mizar work and its\ninteresting implications can be used in virtually any class.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0606255",
"authors": [
"Christopher M. Graney"
],
"categories": [
"physics.hist-ph",
"astro-ph",
"physics.ed-ph"
],
"title": "Galileo\u0027s Double Star: The Experiment That \"Proved\" the Earth Did Not Move",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0606255"
},
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