Geocentric Model of Universe

[Croydon13013]

Garvan has a great illustration of a Geocentric solar system on his blog here:

http://garvanellison.blogspot.co.uk/

What is the simplest way of debunking this? So that an idiot would understand.

All I have so far is that Mercury is missing from that particular model. But we can assume that it should be in there one side or the other of Venus. And that the geocentric model was abandoned for the heliocentric model largely because the phases of Venus didn't work unless both Earth and Venus were circling the Sun. But even I struggle to get my head around that so it isn't going to easily convince someone stupid enough to think that heliocentism is an atheist plot.

Any ideas? Or handy websites for children or something?

[Matt]

I'd start with Foucault's pendulum. A simple experiment which can be performed at home with a stepladder.

Technically of course this merely debunks one aspect of the model shown. The static Earth.

The ptolemaic model which Copernicus replaced already had a rotating earth.

To fully destroy Heliocentricity you have to ask another question. If venus is orbiting the earth closer than the sun is then how does Venus go behind the sun? Alternatively if Venus is orbiting the earth further out than the sun, how does it go in front of the sun.

[panama]

err...Matt...don't destroy the Heliocentric solar system...have a go at the GEOcentric model, it's a much easier target.

[Matt]

D'Oh!

[Croydon13013]

To fully destroy Heliocentricity you have to ask another question. If venus is orbiting the earth closer than the sun is then how does Venus go behind the sun? Alternatively if Venus is orbiting the earth further out than the sun, how does it go in front of the sun.

I read that without spotting the mistake. Allowing for Panama's correction then it is a good point. Although I'm sure we can all see the inevitable response coming from a creationist loony that "Venus doesn't go behind the Sun, that is an atheist lie".

I suppose the next step for a geocentric diehard willing to accept evidence would be to suggest that Venus and Mercury orbit the Sun which orbits the Earth. They are moons of the Sun. In the same way that the moons of Jupiter orbit Jupiter while it orbits the Earth. . .