Which of Galileo's observations of the motions of the large moons of Jupiter provided the MOST significant change to astronomers' understanding of the solar system?
A) Their motions are counterclockwise (viewed from the north) just like the orbits of the planets.
B) Their orbits were elliptical, just like Kepler predicted.
C) Their orbits obeyed Kepler's second law.
D) The moons farther from Jupiter had longer periods, just as Copernicus had discovered for the planets around the Sun.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Galileo's observation of the moons of Jupiter showing that the farther moons had longer periods was significant because it provided a clear example of celestial bodies orbiting another body besides Earth. This observation supported the Copernican model of the solar system, where planets orbit the Sun, challenging the geocentric model that placed Earth at the center of the universe.

Which of Galileo's Observations of the Motions of the Large