19 February 1473 A.D. Nicholas Copernicus—Earth Rotates Around Sun
19
February 1473 A.D. Nicholas
Copernicus—Earth Rotates Around Sun
Nicholas Copernicus (1473 to 1543)
Roman Church
Eccentric Churchman Centered the Sun
Astronomer Nicholas Copernicus was born in Toruh,
Poland. He became a churchman and propounded the theory that the earth revolves
around the sun. His genius went unrecognized in his own lifetime, and the
religious leaders of that day ridiculed his proposition, partly because
Copernicus's circular orbits offered little improvement over the Ptolemaic
system and partly because of the man's eccentricities and partly because of his
secretiveness for fear of the inquisition. Johann Kepler had to demonstrate
that orbits are elliptical before astronomical problems could truly begin to be
solved. The first edition of Copernicus's book was printed as he lay on his
death bed and included an unauthorized preface that discredited the literal
meaning of his findings. For the most part the book was ignored until Galileo
called attention to it. Protestants and Catholics alike attacked it (the Roman
Catholic church banned it until 1822).
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