KEPLER’S LAWS OF PLANETARY

MOTION

Johannes Kepler
- Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), a Danish nobleman,
made important contributions by devising the
most precise instruments available for observing
the heavens before the telescope's invention.
- The tools of Brahe enabled him to determine
the detailed motions of the planets more
precisely than was possible.
KEPLER’S LAWS OF PLANETARY
MOTION

Johannes Kepler
- Formulate the three laws of planetary motion based on
Brahe’s extensive data on Mars.
 THREE LAWS OF PLANETARY MOTION

1. Law of Ellipses/Orbits – states that the planets move

in ellipses having a common focus situated at the sun.
2. Law of Equal Areas
The line joining the planet to the Sun sweeps out equal
areas in equal intervals of time.
3. Law of Harmonies/Periods
 The squares of the sidereal periods are proportional to
the cubes of the semi-major axes.
Shows that there is a precise mathematical relationship
between a planet’s distance from the Sun and the amount
of time it takes to revolve around the Sun.
 ACTIVITY:

1. Why is the invention of Brahe

important to the discovery of Kepler’s
Law of Planetary Motion?

2. What would you think will happen

if Brahe did not extensively record his
data on heavenly bodies?