When Copernicus first created his Sun- centered model of the universe, it did not lead to substantially better predictions of planetary positions than the Ptolemaic model. Why not?
A)Copernicus used perfect circles for the orbits of the planets.
B)Copernicus misjudged the distances between the planets.
C)Copernicus placed the Sun at the center, but did not realize that the Moon orbits the Earth.
D)Copernicus placed the planets in the wrong order going outward from the Sun.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Copernicus used perfect circles for the orbits of the planets, which led to inaccurate predictions of planetary positions. In reality, the orbits of planets are elliptical, not circular.

When Copernicus First Created His Sun- Centered Model of the Universe