Does the ptolemic or corpernicus model better explain variations in light from planets? Please explain!?

Question

or rather, variations in the brightness of planets as seen from earth

Answer 1

Hi. Ptolemy thought the Earth was at the center, Copernicus thought it was the Sun at the center. The variations in the light from the planets they could observe had to have the Sun at the center.

Answer 2

Both systems explained the variation in planetary brightness, and both were wrong (Copernicus thought the planets orbited in circles) and needed epicycles. You could argue that the Copernican model was better since it was heliocentric and needed fewer epicycles.