The Scientific Revolution

Remaining Problems

Even yet, a thoughtful and open-minded person might still have certain doubts about the Copernican universe. One problem was that Galileo did nothing to make the planets show up on time, for the Copernican model still had the planets moving in circles.

The other problem also related to the movement of the planets. If they moved in orbits about the sun, what kept them on their circular tracks? If the moon was an object like any other object, why did it not fall to the ground (Earth) like any other object? What kept the planets in the sky and in orbit?

History of Western Civilization

E.L. Skip Knox
Boise State University

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