How did Galileo know that the planets go around the sun rather than around Earth?
A) From telescopic measurements of the positions of the stars as Earth moved around the sun during the course of one year.
B) From telescopic observations of the phases of Venus as it moves around the sun.
C) From measurements of the tides raised by the moon as compared with the tides raised by the sun.
D) By noting that Venus always lies near the sun, as seen from Earth, from which he concluded that Venus must be orbiting the sun.
E) From the writings of Aristarchus, the ancient Greek astronomer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Galileo observed that Venus goes through phases, just like the moon. This can only happen if Venus is orbiting the sun, not Earth.

How Did Galileo Know That the Planets Go Around the Sun