[jskulski]

We may not be able to observed it, and maybe can’t. Just like time slowing down would be imperceptible to the person on the spaceship nearing light speed. It takes the mathematics

Or if I’m lucky enough to have the time to watch the moon move slowly, it feels natural to my senses to say it’s moving across the sky. The moon feels like it’s moving around me. But I can stretch my brain and imagine the reality.

Sometimes math arrives first. We have the new maths (or an problem in current math), and that points to some possibility. Because it’s not observable, ignoring our senses is a requirement to develop that in the model and measurements and experiments. Eventually we are able to observe it.

I’m not familiar with history of astronomy. Would it be the case where the observations that lead to heliocentric thought we nuanced and had to build on more obvious perceptions that things aren’t adding up? Was the wobble of Venus part of that?

And you’re right, old models are useful and remain relevant a lot! The model of time moving linearly will likely always be the most useful model for navigating our daily choices (if we have any at all!)