Kepler s Laws Of Planetary Motion - 1017 Words

Kepler’s Laws Johannes Kepler formulated the Three Laws of Planetary Motion. The first is the Law of Orbits, stating that all planets move in elliptical orbits with the sun at one focus. The second law is the Law of Areas. This is the idea that a line that connects the planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in the plane of the planet’s orbit in equal time intervals. Last is the Law of Periods which states that the square of the period of any planet is proportional to the cube of the semi major axis of its orbit. It is simple to just accept the laws and memorize them, but take it a step further. What are the explanations to these laws and how did Kepler come to those conclusions? The results that Kepler published actually began with Tycho Brahe. Brahe was interested in reforming astronomy, and wanted to prove his idea that planets circle the sun which then move around the stationary earth. He made several observations with advanced instruments that still to thi s day have been proven by calculations done with modern computers to be quite accurate. All of Brahe’s observations were very useful and interesting to Kepler who became Brahe’s assistant in 1600. Some propose that Brahe only continued making observations because he was unsure of what to do with them or how to apply them, so it was left up to assistants such as Johannes Kepler to put the information to use (J.V. Field). Kepler had been engaging in finding an orbit of Mars, and Brahe’s observationsShow MoreRelatedKepler s Laws Of Planetary Motion2539 Words   |  11 PagesKepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician and astronomer. Best known for his laws of planetary motion, Kepler was a key figure in the scientific revolution in the 17th century. His laws illustrate the fundamental properties of the orbits of the planets and were also a precursor to the formulation of Newton’s law of gravitation. Biography: Kepler was introduced to astronomy in his early years and developed a passion for it, which would span his entire life. AtRead MoreThe Genius Of Sir Isaac Newton1687 Words   |  7 Pagesthe universe in the 1600’s because of his law of universal gravitation, his laws of motion, and other discoveries and inventions. Isaac Newton s law of universal gravitation and planetary motion shed light on the clockwork of the universe. Newton’s discoveries about gravity all began while he was sitting under an apple tree. one of the apples fell from the tree making him begin to think about what caused the change in acceleration and velocity in the apple. Newton’s law of universal gravitationRead More Keplers Laws and Planetary Movement Essay1399 Words   |  6 Pagesturn of the 1600s, the way in which the solar system and the universe as a whole was viewed began to change. With the controversial conclusions of Copernicus, scientists already began to adopt the idea of a heliocentric solar system. Further advancements in astronomy came about through the research of Tycho Brahe and his assistant Johannes Kepler. The three planetary laws developed by Kepler with the data gathered by Brahe shaped the way in which science viewed the structure and motion of the planetsRead MoreEssay on The Scientific Revolution1263 Words   |  6 Pagesunknown realm of science and experimentation. Four of the many brilliant founders of the Scientific Revolution; Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Brahe, used previous scientific principles and their own genius to make advances in science that are still being used today. 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