What two important contributions did Hipparchus make astronomy?

What two important contributions did Hipparchus make astronomy?

A Greek mathematician and astronomer, he measured the earth-moon distance accurately, founded the mathematical discipline of trigonometry, and his combinatorics work was unequalled until 1870. Hipparchus discovered the precession of the equinoxes and observed the appearance of a new star – a nova.

Did Hipparchus support the geocentric model?

The system of epicycles describing planetary motion was developed by Hipparchus, and helped preserve the geocentric model of the universe. His estimates of the moon’s size and distance relative to Earth were also remarkably accurate for his time.

How did Hipparchus discover and measure the precession of the equinoxes?

One evening, Hipparchus noticed the appearance of a star where he was certain there had been none before. Comparing both charts, Hipparchus calculated that the stars had shifted their apparent position by around two degrees. This is how he discovered and measured the precession of the equinoxes.

What are the contribution of Hipparchus?

Hipparchus. Hipparchus, (b. Nicaea, Bithynia–d. after 127 BC, Rhodes?), Greek astronomer and mathematician who discovered the precession of the equinoxes, calculated the length of the year to within 6 1/2 minutes, compiled the first known star catalog, and made an early formulation of trigonometry.

What did Ptolemy say about Hipparchus?

Ptolemy described Hipparchus as ‘industrious’ and, repeatedly, as a great ‘lover of truth’. That Hipparchus continued to be held in high regard is demonstrated by the various depictions of him on frontispieces of astronomical works published long after his death.

What is the biggest contribution of Hipparchus?

What is the contribution of Ptolemy?

Ptolemy made contributions to astronomy, mathematics, geography, musical theory, and optics. He compiled a star catalog and the earliest surviving table of a trigonometric function and established mathematically that an object and its mirror image must make equal angles to a mirror.

Why geocentric model was accepted?

It was embraced by both Aristotle and Ptolemy, and most Greek philosophers assumed that the Sun, Moon, stars, and visible planets circle the Earth. Christianity taught that God placed the earth in the center of the universe and this made earth a special place to watch human life unfold.

What proved the geocentric model wrong?

The theory of gravity was what proved the geocentric model to be ‘wrong’. The previous models described *how* the planets move as the do. The theory of gravity explained *why* the planets move the way they do… Gravity was keeping the planets in their orbits.

What did Hipparchus do to become an astronomer?

Hipparchus was able to become the very first astronomer to actually craft completely accurate models detailing the motion of the moon and the sun. Not all of his models survived to the modern day so he may have made numerous other discoveries that have become lost to history.

What did Hipparchus do for a living in Greek history?

Hipparchus. A Greek mathematician and astronomer, he measured the earth-moon distance accurately, founded the mathematical discipline of trigonometry, and his combinatorics work was unequalled until 1870. Hipparchus discovered the precession of the equinoxes and observed the appearance of a new star – a nova.

What was the final value of hipparchus’observations?

Hipparchus made careful observations and got a better value than anyone before him. His final figure was only 6 minutes too high.

How did Hipparchus contribute to the theory of eclipses?

( See animation.) Hipparchus also analyzed the more complicated motion of the Moon in order to construct a theory of eclipses. In addition to varying in apparent speed, the Moon diverges north and south of the ecliptic, and the periodicities of these phenomena are different.