Successes and problems of the heliocentric model
Successes:
- Explains phases of the moon
- Does a good job of predicting positions of sun and moon
- Does an good job of predicting the positions of the planets
- Explains why Mercury and Venus stay close to the sun.
- Explains why planets are brightest when opposite the sun.
Problems:
- It is impossible to move without feeling the motion (vibration, wind, noise).
- Stars would change in brightness and angular position over the course of the year as the earth got closer or farther. (Don’t forget parallax).
- Earth is imperfect and cannot be a part of the perfect heavens
- The moon would break the sphere that the earth travels in.