What distinction did Galileo's observation of the four moons provide regarding the existing cosmic model?
Answer
It provided visible proof that celestial bodies orbited Jupiter
Galileo’s crucial observation was noticing that the three, and later four, tiny 'stars' orbiting Jupiter moved consistently with the planet, defying the established Ptolemaic model. This model rigidly insisted that everything in the heavens orbited the Earth. By providing direct, visible evidence that celestial bodies orbited a planet other than Earth, Galileo offered powerful, concrete proof that the heavens were not entirely organized around our world, marking a fundamental shift in humanity’s understanding of cosmic structure and paving the way for widespread acceptance of heliocentrism.
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