Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion01:29

Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion

4.4K
In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. His first law states that all planets orbit the Sun in an elliptical orbit, with the Sun at one of the ellipse's foci. Therefore, the distance of a planet from the Sun varies throughout its revolution around the Sun.
While in an elliptical orbit, the total energy of the planet is conserved. Therefore, the planet slows down when it is at apogee and...
4.4K
Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion01:18

Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion

3.5K
In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. In 1909, he formulated his first two laws based on the observations of his forebears, Nikolaus Copernicus and Tycho Brahe. However, in 1918, he published his third law of planetary motion, which gives a precise mathematical relationship between a planet's average distance from the Sun and the amount of time it takes to revolve around the Sun. It...
3.5K
Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion01:10

Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion

4.3K
In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. He formulated his first two laws based on the observations of his forebears, Nikolaus Copernicus and Tycho Brahe.
Polish astronomer Nikolaus Copernicus put forth a theory that stated a heliocentric model for the solar system. According to this heliocentric theory, all the planets, including Earth, orbit the Sun in circular orbits.
On the other hand,...
4.3K
Azimuths and Bearings01:19

Azimuths and Bearings

245
Azimuths and bearings are essential concepts in surveying, providing methods to express the direction of a line relative to a meridian. Azimuths refer to the clockwise angle measured from the north end of a reference meridian to the given line, ranging from zero to 360 degrees. This method gives a comprehensive directional reference within a full 360-degree circle, making it a straightforward way to communicate direction in various fields, including navigation, cartography, and...
245
Circular Orbits and Critical Velocity for Satellites01:16

Circular Orbits and Critical Velocity for Satellites

3.0K
The Moon orbits around the Earth. In turn, the Earth (and other planets) orbit the Sun. The space directly above our atmosphere is filled with artificial satellites in orbit. One can examine the circular orbit, the simplest kind of orbit, to understand the relationship between the speed and the period of planets and satellites with respect to their positions and the bodies that they orbit.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) first suggested that the Earth and all other planets orbit the Sun in...
3.0K
Energy of a Satellite in a Circular Orbit01:11

Energy of a Satellite in a Circular Orbit

2.5K
Thousands of artificial satellites orbit the Earth every day at various distances from the Earth. Satellites that orbit the Earth below an altitude of 1,600 km are considered to be orbiting in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Research satellites and Earth observation satellites are usually placed in LEO, and mostly orbit the Earth in elliptical orbits. Navigation satellites are placed in medium-Earth orbit (MEO), ranging from 2,000 km to 36,000 km from the surface of the Earth. Meanwhile, communication...
2.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The last astronomers.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

Traceless protein semisynthesis in cells using the promiscuous ultra-fast split intein NrdJ-1.

Chemical science·2026
Same author

Traceless protein semi-synthesis in cells using the promiscuous ultra-fast split intein NrdJ-1.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Astronomers claim Chinese star catalog is world's oldest.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025
Same author

Saving the Night Sky: How dark sky advocacy went from a niche cause to a sweeping environmental movement.

Scientific American·2024
Same author

How the yellow fever mosquito found its first human victim.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2023
Same journal

A native sulfur deposit in Gale crater, Mars.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Coordinated demise of harmful algal blooms.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Genetic effects put into context.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Bacteria share proteins to survive antibiotics.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Impacts shaped Earth's first continents.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Erratum for the Report "Covalently bonded single-molecule junctions with stable and reversible photoswitched conductivity" by C. Jia <i>et al</i>.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO
10:35

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO

Published on: February 12, 2013

19.6K

The stargazers.

Joshua Sokol1

  • 1Zunil, Guatemala.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 2, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Ancient Maya civilization meticulously tracked celestial movements. Modern collaborations between Maya descendants and Western researchers aim to decipher their advanced astronomical knowledge.

More Related Videos

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry
12:14

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry

Published on: August 12, 2013

21.9K
Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves
06:48

Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves

Published on: May 10, 2020

3.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO
10:35

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO

Published on: February 12, 2013

19.6K
The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry
12:14

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry

Published on: August 12, 2013

21.9K
Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves
06:48

Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves

Published on: May 10, 2020

3.7K

Area of Science:

  • Archaeology
  • Ethnohistory
  • Archaeoastronomy

Background:

  • The Maya civilization developed a sophisticated understanding of celestial bodies and their movements.
  • This astronomical knowledge was deeply integrated into their culture, religion, and daily life.

Discussion:

  • Contemporary research involves interdisciplinary collaboration between Maya communities and academic scholars.
  • This partnership facilitates a deeper understanding of Maya cosmology and calendrical systems.

Key Insights:

  • The Maya possessed advanced observational techniques and predictive models for astronomical events.
  • Their understanding of the cosmos influenced architectural alignments and ritual practices.

Outlook:

  • Future research will continue to explore the intricacies of Maya astronomy through combined traditional and scientific methodologies.
  • Preserving and revitalizing Maya astronomical traditions is crucial for cultural heritage.