From Historical Development of Geodesy.(I)

The formulation of the problem of geodesy first developed in the course of the 19^th century. However, the question of the figure of the Earth had already been raised in antiquity. First the model of the Earth looked like the sphere, then - like rotational ellipsoid in the first part of the 18^th century.

Various opinions on the form of the Earth prevailed in the past: e. g. the notion of an Earth disk encircled by Oceanus (Homer's Illiad). The founder of scientific geodesy is Eratosthenes of Alexandria, who measured the radius for the Earth and developed the principles of the arc measurements, which are still applied in modern ages..

During the middle ages in Europe, the question of the figure of the Earth was not pursued further. At the beginning of the modern ages, the French physicist Fernel in 1525 observed on the meridian through Paris, the geographical latitudes of Paris and Amiens using a quadrant; he computed the distance from the number of rotations of a wagon wheel. The remaining arc measurements were characterized by fundamental advances in instrumentation technology (1611, Kepler telescope), methodology (Gemma Frisius, Tycho Brahe, Willebrord Snellius and so on).

3.ANSWER THE QUESTUONS:

Who was the founder of geodesy?

When were the problems of geodesy raised first?

What were the opinions about the form of the Earth?

Do you know the scientists who made contribution in geodesy?

What happened in 1666?

Why were 16 and17 centuries important for geodesy?

4. Give Ukrainian equivalents to the following words and expressions:

the question of the figure of the Earth

to raise in the antiquity

the model of the earth

rotational ellipsoid

the notion

founder of scientific geodesy

to develop the principles of measurements

to apply in modern ages

summer solstice

to form an angle

to compute the distance

to assume the leading role of geodesy

geocentric universe

to discover the laws of planetary motion

principles of physics

5.Complete the sentences:

The formulation of the problem of geodesy...

First the model of the Earth …

During the middle ages in Europe,..

Through the initiative of the Academy of Sciences,..

In the 16¹ and 17^l centuries,..

Building on these and on their own works,..

Supplementary tasks: