19 February 1473 A.D. Nicholas Copernicus—Earth Rotates Around Sun
19 February 1473 A.D. Nicholas Copernicus—Earth Rotates Around Sun http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/birthdays/02-19.html 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 mean...