Ptolemaic System (Noun)
Meaning
(astronomy) Ptolemy's model of the universe with the Earth at the center.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The geocentric model of the Ptolemaic system was widely accepted until the 16th century when Copernicus proposed a heliocentric model.
- Ptolemy's Ptolemaic system was an improvement over earlier geocentric models but was later replaced by more accurate models of the universe.
- The Ptolemaic system placed the Earth at the center of the universe, surrounded by concentric crystal spheres carrying the planets and stars.
- In the Ptolemaic system, the planets and stars moved in circular orbits around the stationary Earth, a concept that was later disputed.
- Aristarchus of Samos was one of the few ancient Greeks who opposed the Ptolemaic system and instead proposed a heliocentric model.