Ptolemy of Alexandria, the Influential Astronomer Essays -- Biography

Ptolemy of Alexandria, the Influential Astronomer Ptolemy of Alexandria was the most influential astronomer of theancient world. The books and theories Ptolemy developed served as a majorbasis for future astronomers. It was during the conversion period thathis work became thoroughly studied and revised. Ptolemy collected all ancient knowledge of astronomy and geographyincluding it in his book Almagest around cxl A.D. It follows, he thenwrote a four volume astrological interpret known as the Tretrabiblos. Ptolemyclaimed that the scribes of Babylon had been instructed since 750 B.C tokeep detailed astronomical diaries. These diaries were written for sevenhundred years on clay tablets. The tablets depicted night-sky events alongwith river direct changes and weather phenomena. Modern archaeologists haveconfirmed the claim by unearthing Babylonian tablets recording observationsof Mars and Venus from that time period. Ptolemy used a system of consulting lists of lun ar phases, andplanetary movements complied over many centuries to look for...