Copernicus
Uploaded by *GeMsToNe* on Mar 05, 2007
Where and when did Copernicus live?
Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torün, (Pronounced Thorn), in Poland on February 19, 1473 as Niklas Koppernigk -- a name that he would later Latinize into Nicolaus Copernicus.. He was educated in Poland and Italy, and spent most of his working life in Frombork (Frauenburg), Warmia, where he died on 1543 May the 24th.
Copernicus’ story.
Copernicus’ father was a wealthy businessman, copper trader, and respected citizen of Toruñ. He died when Copernicus was 10. After his father died, Copernicus attended the University of Cracow, studying medicine at the time and becoming fascinated by astronomy, and then in 1496 he began ten years of studying law at the University of Bologna in Italy. While Copernicus developed an interest in astronomy and was one of the most influential astronomers of all time, he never majored in astronomy and was never a professional astronomer.
Copernicus' mother, Barbara Watzenrode was born into a rich merchant's family. She predeceased her husband. Copernicus' maternal uncle, Lucas Watzenrode, a church canon (priest) and later Prince-Bishop (territorial prince of a church) governor of the Archbishopric of Warmia, raised him and his three siblings after the death of his father. His uncle's position helped Copernicus in the pursuit of a career within the Church, enabling him to devote much time to his astronomy studies. Copernicus had a brother and two sisters.
Copernicus’ work.
Copernicus is known for the first modern formulation of a heliocentric (sun-centered) theory of the solar system. Copernicus first formulated the modern theory of the solar system in 1530, concluding that the earth revolved around the sun. However, his findings were in conflict with the church’s teachings that the earth was the center of the universe. So the church made him suffer a great deal because of this. Copernicus did not publish his great work on the revolutions of heavenly bodies until 1543 -the year of his death, it is said that he received his first copy on his deathbed. The name of his book that he published was called De revolutionibus orbium coelestium.
The seven parts of Copernicus' theory are:
1. There is no one center in the universe
2. The Earth's center is not the center of the universe
3. The center of the universe is near the sun
4. The distance from the Earth to the sun is microscopic compared with the distance to the stars
5. The rotation of the Earth accounts for the apparent daily...