You are here:About>People & Relationships>Astrology
About.comAstrology

Ptolemaic System

The Earth at the Center
This is an illustration of the Ptolemaic system of astrology, created around 1660 by Andres Cellarius.
Image 6 of 14
Early astronomer-astrologers subscribed to the theory that the Earth is at the center, with planets in motion around the ecliptic. 2nd-century Hellenistic (a.k.a. Greek) astronomer Ptolemy published a comprehensive work called Almagest, with this geocentric model as the foundation. The Earth-as-center theory was challenged around the 17th-century by Copernicus and Gallileo. The geocentric model was replaced with the heliocentric model, one with the Sun at the center.
Image 6 of 14
 All Topics | Email Article | | |
Advertising Info | News & Events | Work at About | SiteMap | Reprints | HelpOur Story | Be a Guide
User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy©2008 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.