Aristotle’s 2 Domain’s view of the Universe

CELESTIAL TERRESTRIAL

 ELEMENT/S  ELEMENT/S
 Ether  Air
 Earth
 -Wind
 MOTION  Fire

- Perfect motion : circular  MOTION

and constant speed  Alteration
 Violent
 Natural
 CELESTIAL MOTION
 Diurnal / Daily motion of the sky
 The apparent daily motion of the stars and
other celestial bodies across the sky caused by
the earth’s rotation on it’s axis.

 Annual motion – apparent motion of the sun

caused by the Earth’s revolution around it.
 The Celestial Sphere
 2 points where Earth’s rotational axis cuts the
sphere;
 North celestial pole
 South celestial pole
 Celestial Equator - projection of the Earth’s
equator in the celestial sphere.
 Ecliptic – path that the sun appears to take
around the celestial sphere.
 Solstice
 The two points on the ecliptic with the greatest
distance from the celestial equator
SUMMER SOLSTICE – point where the sun is at
its northernmost position above the celestial
equator (June 21)

WINTER SOLSTICE – occurs when the sun is at

its southernmost position or its lowest in the
sky. (December 21)
 Equinox
 The two point where the ecliptic intersects the
celestial equator
 The earth’s rotational axis is perpendicular to
the line joining the earth and the sun.

Autumnal equinox – happens on or near

September 22.
Vernal or Spring equinox – happens on or near
March 21.
 Precession of the Equinox
Precession - change in the orientation of the
rotational axis of any rotating body.

HIPPARCHUS – was credited for having

discovered the precession of the equinox.
- He noted that there were two – degree shift in
the position of the stars (lunisolar precession)