UNIT 6 READING 2 “Early Astronomers”

“Early Astronomers”

This passage tells about some of the first people who studied the stars and planets. By studying how the sun and stars moved, they were able to tell time and direction. They could also count the days and know when the seasons would change. 

The ancient Greeks were very good astronomers. They named groups of stars after their gods and discovered the planets of our solar system. 

In the eleventh century, a Persian astronomer named Al-Sufi

wrote a book showing the location of stars and planets beyond our own galaxy. 

 

 

 

 

 

Copernicus,

a Polish astronomer, suggested that the sun was at the center of our solar system. This was later proven by a German astronomer named Kepler. He also discovered how planets orbit the sun. 

 

 

 

 

Galileo

improved the design of the telescope and made important discoveries about the Milky Way and the planets.

 

 

 

 

 

Key Words

• constellations: named groups of stars that form patterns in the sky

• discoveries: facts or things that someone finds out about that weren’t known before

• galaxy: one of the large groups of stars, such as the Milky Way, that make up the universe

• phenomenon: something that happens

• solar system: a system of planets, moons, etc., that circle the Sun

• telescope: a piece of equipment that is shaped like a tube and is used to make faraway objects look bigger and closer

Academic Words

identified = knew; recognized 

➡ Some early astronomers identified the objects in the sky as planets, not stars.

location = place or position 

➡ A sundial is a very old clock that measures time by the location of the sun.

philosopher = a person who studies life and what it means, how we should live, and what knowledge is 

➡ The famous Greek philosopher Socrates was interested in seeking knowledge by asking questions.

predictable = usual, expected, or obvious 

➡ He studied hard, so it was predictable that he would do well on the test.

theory = idea that tries to explain something, but it may or may not be true 

➡ The theory that the sun revolved around Earth was proved false.

Participial Adjectives

PARTIAL ADJECTIVES QUIZ 

PARTIAL ADJECTIVES  

Tell students that most adjectives ending in -ing and -ed are participial adjectives. The adjectives that end in -ing can describe the cause of a feeling. The adjectives that end in -ed can describe how a person feels.

Participial adjectives—adjectives ending in -ing and -ed—describe nouns or pronouns.