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Ancient Origins: Ancient Origins has ancient roots, with records of celestial observations dating back thousands of years to civilizations like the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Chinese.
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Ptolemaic Model: In ancient Greece, Claudius Ptolemy proposed a geocentric model of the universe in the 2nd century AD, which held that Earth was at the center and celestial objects moved in complex orbits around it.
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Heliocentrism Emerges: Nicolaus Copernicus, in the 16th century, challenged the geocentric view with his heliocentric model, suggesting that Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun.
Galileo's Discoveries: Galileo Galilei's use of telescopes in the early 17th century led to groundbreaking observations, including the discovery of Jupiter's moons and the phases of Venus, supporting the heliocentric model.
Kepler's Laws: Johannes Kepler formulated his three laws of planetary motion in the early 17th century, providing a mathematical framework for understanding the motion of planets around the Sun.
Sir Isaac Newton: In the late 17th century, Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation explained how celestial bodies are attracted to one another, revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos.
Messier Objects: Charles Messier, an 18th-century astronomer, compiled a catalog of 110 celestial objects, known as the Messier Objects, to help astronomers distinguish between comets and other objects.
Hubble's Law: In the early 20th century, Edwin Hubble observed that galaxies were moving away from each other, leading to the formulation of Hubble's Law and the idea of an expanding universe.
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Space Telescopes: The launch of the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990 provided stunning images and invaluable data, allowing astronomers to study distant galaxies and cosmic phenomena with unprecedented clarity.
Exoplanet Discoveries: In recent decades, astronomers have identified thousands of exoplanets (planets outside our solar system), expanding our understanding of planetary systems and the potential for extraterrestrial life.