Hellenistic astronomy

Hellenistic astronomy, developed between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE, was a scientific effort to understand the cosmos using observations and math. Scholars like Hipparchus and Ptolemy studied planetary motions, creating models—such as the geocentric Ptolemaic system—that explained celestial movements with impressive accuracy for their time. They also introduced concepts like epicycles and eccentric circles to account for varying planetary speeds and positions. Hellenistic astronomy laid foundational ideas for future astronomy, combining careful observation with mathematical modeling to better understand the universe's structure.