Aristarchus of Samos
Aristarchus of Samos was an ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician, recognized for proposing one of the earliest heliocentric theories, which posited that the Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun, while the Sun and fixed stars remain stationary. He spent a significant amount of time at the museum in Alexandria, where he developed his ideas and observations. The only surviving work attributed to him is "On the Sizes and Distances of the Sun and Moon," wherein he made an early scientific effort to estimate the dimensions of the solar system, claiming the Sun to be significantly farther from Earth than the Moon. Although his calculations were ultimately inaccurate, they laid a foundation for future astronomical thought.
His ideas were largely overlooked for centuries, as later Greek astronomers found the mathematics required to support a moving Earth unconvincing. It wasn't until the Scientific Revolution that Aristarchus's contributions were revisited, influencing thinkers like Copernicus to advocate for the heliocentric model. Despite being forgotten for a long period, Aristarchus's legacy endures as a pioneering figure in the history of astronomy, representing an important shift towards understanding the cosmos in a way that challenges traditional geocentric views.
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Subject Terms
Aristarchus of Samos
Related civilization: Hellenistic Greece
Major role/position: Mathematician, astronomer
Life
Little is known of the life of Aristarchus of Samos (ar-uh-STAHR-kuhs of sah-MOHS) except that he spent at least some years at the museum in Alexandria. He is known for the first heliocentric (sun-centered) theory of the universe. The scientist Archimedes noted that Aristarchus suggested that the Sun and fixed stars remained still while Earth rotated on its axis and revolved around the Sun.
The only work written by Aristarchus that survived is On the Sizes and Distances of the Sun and Moon. In this treatise, Aristarchus made the first truly scientific attempt to estimate the size of the solar system. He calculated that the Sun was eighteen to twenty times farther away from Earth than the Moon, which was actually short by a factor of twenty. Still, Aristarchus’s measurement was ignored because he also thought the fixed stars were an enormous distance away compared with the Sun.
Influence
The mathematics required for the theory of a moving Earth was unreasonable according to the observations made by later Greek astronomers. Aristarchus was forgotten until mathematicians began to praise him during the Scientific Revolution in order to convince their contemporaries to accept the heliocentric system of Copernicus.
Bibliography
Gingerich, Owen. “Did Copernicus Owe a Debt to Aristarchus?” Journal for the History of Astronomy 16 (1985): 37-42.
Heath, Thomas L. Aristarchus of Samos: The Ancient Copernicus. Reprint. Bristol, England: Thoemmes Press, 1993.
Wall, Byron Emerson. “Anatomy of a Precursor: The Historiography of Aristarchus of Samos.” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science 6 (1975): 201-228.