On the homocentric spheres of Eudoxus (Q1385176)
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English | On the homocentric spheres of Eudoxus |
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On the homocentric spheres of Eudoxus (English)
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21 September 1998
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In the 4-th century B. C. Eudoxus and Callippus used sets of rotating homocentric spheres to decompose planetary motions. Critical to their theory is a small motion called by them the hippopede, a ``spherical lemniscate''. Since their original works are lost, different interpretations of their theory are possible. The author takes the view that the theory was only a qualitative tool and he declares that ``the concept of geometrical congruence and similarity are quite precise without being quantitative''. He contests Schiaparelli's and others' earlier quantitative approach.
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hippopede
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pre-Ptolemaic planetary theory
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Callippus
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Euxodus
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Schiaparelli
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