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168 and the system is even opposed to the authority of Scripture. The vast space which would have to be assumed between the orbit of Saturn and the fixed stars (to account for the want of annual parallax of these), was another difficulty in the Copernican system, and Tycho had therefore tried to find a hypothesis which was in accordance with mathematical and physical principles, and at the same time would not incur the censure of theologians. At last he had, "as if by inspiration," been led to the following idea on the planetary motions.

The earth is the centre of the universe, and the centre of the orbits of the sun and moon, as well as of the sphere of the fixed stars, which latter revolves round it in