Understanding Planetary Motion

Johannes Kepler, a 17th Century astronomer and mathematician, published three laws of planetary motion that improved upon Copernicus's heliocentric model. These laws were made possible by years of accurate planetary measurement collected by Kepler's predecessor, Tycho Brahe. Kepler's laws were a radical change from previous astronomical models for the Solar System which maintained the ancient Greek idea of perfect circular motion. With the Stellarium planetarium software, we are able observe the orbit of the planets and test some of his ideas.

For this part of the project, use a computer simulation to test Kepler's laws of planetary motion. Please read through the assignment background information and follow the steps listed in the lab assignment instructions. You will be asked to form a hypothesis, state the lab objective, record your measurements and calculations, and answer each of the lab questions.

Click here to download the instruction document for this piece of the project. Follow the instructions contained within and submit your results as this project deliverable.

Submit your assignment with a title page and in APA format.