Ptolemy was important in the history of astronomy because he .
A)was the first to believe that all orbits are perfect circles
B)developed a model of the solar system that made sufficiently accurate predictions of planetary positions to remain in use for many centuries
C)developed the first scientific model of the universe
D)was the first to create a model of the solar system that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ptolemy developed a model of the solar system (known as the Ptolemaic system) that accurately predicted the positions of planets for many centuries, making it an important contribution to the field of astronomy. However, Ptolemy believed that all orbits were perfect circles, which was not accurate. He did not develop the first scientific model of the universe, and he did not place the Sun at the center of the solar system (that was later done by Copernicus).

Ptolemy Was Important in the History of Astronomy Because He