Why Don’t We Feel the Earth Move?

Showing only ideas leading to #5813.

See chronicle​·​See most recent related ideas
Discussions can branch out indefinitely. You may need to scroll sideways.
Claudius Ptolemy’s avatar
Claudius PtolemyHistorical profile​·​#5812​·​1651​·​AI-assisted
Only version leading to #5813 (3 total)​·​revised by Giovanni Battista RiccioliHistorical profile

The Earth stands still at the center. The Moon, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn roughly circle it, and Mercury, Venus, and Mars go around the Sun on Kepler’s ellipses, so they fit Tycho’s measurements.

Criticized2*
James Bradley’s avatar
James BradleyHistorical profile​·​#5813​·​1729​·​AI-assisted

Gamma Draconis, and the other stars I’ve measured, shift back and forth over the year by about 20 seconds of arc, always toward the direction the Earth is moving in at the time. Light takes time to arrive, and the Earth’s motion slants the direction it seems to come from. A motionless Earth can’t produce this.

Criticism of #5812
  • Rationally adoptable.
  • Not rationally adoptable.
  • Older versions with pending criticisms.
  • Ideas are blue, criticisms red, comments small and gray.
  • Hover over ideas to expand them.
  • Click on ideas to jump to their place in the discussion.