Which Hellenistic astronomer is known as a follower of Aristarchus's heliocentrism?

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The Hellenistic astronomer known as a follower of Aristarchus’s heliocentrism is Seleucus of Seleucia.

Seleucus was active around the 2nd century BCE, roughly a century after Aristarchus of Samos proposed that Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun. Ancient references identify Seleucus as a supporter of that system, making him the only other ancient astronomer known by name to have explicitly backed Aristarchus’s heliocentric view.

Very little of Seleucus’s original work survives. Later writers associate him with demonstrations or mathematical reasoning for Earth’s motion, and a fragment of his work reportedly survived through Arabic transmission. He was also connected with an early account of tides involving the Moon and changing celestial relationships.

The other choices belong to different astronomical traditions. Eudoxus developed influential geocentric spheres, Hipparchus is associated with sophisticated geocentric astronomy, and Apollonius contributed mathematical tools later used in planetary models. Their importance does not make them followers of Aristarchus’s heliocentrism.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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