| Later civilizations,
like the Greeks held the heavens with great respect, based, mainly on philosophical
thinking rather than observational data. Ptolemy
(90-168) is probably the best known Greek astronomer who
proposed a detailed geometrical interpretation of celestial
motions known as the Ptolemaic System. One of his explanations
included that each planet moved in a small circle (epicycle) in
the period of its revolution around the Sun and that the entire system
moved around the Earth.
During this early Greek phase of
astronomy, the philosophers were not as dogmatic as later
church "scientists." In the time when Christianity
was experiencing an enormous growth, astronomy was considered an
"evil." It wasn't until the rebirth of scientific thought
around the turn of the 16th century did astronomy become a growing
science. The history of astronomy on other continents is difficult to
document because there is no written record. Unfortunately the only
tools they had were their eyes and human logic to help guide them,
which led many of these civilization to the incorrect conclusion.
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