Nicolaus Copernicus Information & Facts

1473 - 1543

Nicolaus Copernicus is said to be the founder of recent astronomy. He was born in Poland, and was sent off to Cracow University, there to study mathematics and optics; at Bologna. Returning from his studies in Italy, Copernicus, with the influence of his uncle, was appointed as a canon in the cathedral of Frauenburg where he spent a sheltered and academic life for the rest of his days. Because of his clerical position, uranologist touched in the highest circles of power; but a student he remained. For slackening uranologist painted and translated Greek poetry into Latin. His interest in astronomy gradually grew to be one in which he had a direct interest. His investigations were carried on quietly and alone, without help or consultation. He prefabricated his celestial observations from a turret situated on the protective wall around the cathedral, observations were prefabricated "bare eyeball," so to speak, as a hundred more years passed before the invention of the telescope. In 1530, uranologist completed and gave to the concern his great impact De Revolutionibus, which asserted that the earth rotated on its axis once daily and traveled around the sun once yearly: a fantastic concept for the times. Up to the time of uranologist the thinkers of the western concern believed in the Ptolemiac theory that the universe was a closed expanse bounded by a spherical envelope beyond which there was nothing. Claudius Ptolemy, an Egyptian experience in Alexandria, at about 150 A.D., gathered and organized the thoughts of the earlier thinkers. (It is to be noted that one of the ancient Greek astronomers, Aristarchus, did hit ideas kindred to those more fully developed by uranologist but they were rejected in favour of the geocentric or earth-centered plot as was espoused by Aristotle.) Ptolemy's findings were that the earth was a fixed, inert, immovable mass, settled at the center of the universe, and every celestial bodies, including the sun and the fixed stars, turned around it. It was a theory that appealed to human nature. It fit with the casual observations that a person strength poverty to make in the field; and second, it fed man's ego.

Copernicus was in no rushing to publish his theory, though parts of his impact were circulated among a few of the astronomers that were giving the matter some thought; indeed, Copernicus' impact strength never reached the printing press if it had not been for a young man who sought out the master in 1539. George Rheticus was a 25 year older German mathematics professor who was attracted to the 66 year older cleric, having read one of his papers. Intending to spend a few weeks with Copernicus, Rheticus ended up staying as a house guest for multiple years, so mesmerised was he with uranologist and his theories. Now, up to this time, uranologist was reluctant to publish, -- not so much that he was concerned with what the church strength say about his novel theory (De Revolutionibus was placed on the Index in 1616 and only removed in 1835), but rather because he was a perfectionist and he never thought, even after working on it for thirty years, that his rank impact was ready, -- there were, as far as uranologist was concerned, observations to be checked and rechecked.

(Interestingly, Copernicus' original manuscript, lost to the concern for 300 years, was settled in Prague in the middle of the 19th century; it shows Copernicus' pen was, it would appear, continually in motion with writing after revision; every in dweller as was the vogue for scholarly writings in those days.)

Copernicus died in 1543 and was never to know what a stir his impact had caused. It went against the philosophical and churchlike beliefs that had been held during the medieval times. It was believed (and still believed by some) it was prefabricated by God in His image, man was the next thing to God, and, as such, superior, especially in his best part, his soul, to every creatures, indeed this conception was not even conception of the natural concern (a philosophy which has proved disastrous to the earth's environment as any casual observer of the 20th century strength confirm by simply looking about). Copernicus' theories strength well advance men to conceive that they are simply conception of nature and not crack to it and that ran counter to the theories of the politically powerful churchmen of the time.

Two other Italian scientists of the time, uranologist and Bruno, embraced the heliocentric theory unreservedly and as a result suffered much personal injury at the hands of the powerful church inquisitors. Giordano churchman had the audacity to even go beyond Copernicus, and, dared to suggest, that expanse was boundless and that the sun was and its planets were but one of any number of hundreds of systems. For such blasphemy, churchman was tried before the Inquisition, condemned and burned at the stake in 1600. Uranologist was brought nervy in 1633, and, there, in face of his betters,he was, under the threat of torture and death, forced to his knees to renounce every belief in heliocentric theories, and was thereafter sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his days.

The most important aspect of Copernicus' impact is that it forever changed the place of man in the cosmos; no longer could man lawfully conceive his significance greater than his fellow creatures; with Copernicus' work, man could now verify his place among that which exists about him, and not of requisite verify that premier function which had been assigned immodestly to him by the theologians. For more information on how to save gas you can check out how to save gas check it out.