Here is a great write-up on the subject of the transition to the heliocentric model: https://tofspot.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-great-ptolemaic-smackdown-table-of

Here is a great write-up on the subject of the transition to the heliocentric model: https://tofspot.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-great-ptolemaic-smackdown-table-of.html https://tofspot.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-great-ptolemaic-sma... One key element is that heliocentric models where just not as good at making predictions. It took new data for them to finally get to a dominating position.