Copernicus

1. The Pioneer of Heliocentrism Copernicus http://staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/~cwalton/SOLpracticetest1worldtwo.htm

2. The Life Of Copernicus • Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) was a Polish astronomer who made it his life’s work to prove his own theory of Heliocentrism, or the scientific belief that the Sun was at the center of the universe. Although unsuccessful in his lifetime, Copernicus gained recognition for his theories after his death as the Sun was eventually regarded as the center of the Solar System. This stood in contrast to Geocentrism, the more popular belief at the time that the Earth was in the center of the universe.

3. The Heliocentric Statement • At the core of Copernicus’ body of work was the Heliocentric Statement, created circa 1520. • “What appears to us as motions of the sun arise not from its motion but from the motion of the earth and our sphere, with which we revolve about the sun like any other planet. The earth has, then, more than one motion.

4. Copernicus’ Argument • In his written work, “On the Movement of the Earth” Copernicus provided some evidence to support his theory. He noted that mathematicians were unable to chart the movements of the Sun and Moon, and were thus unable to determine the lengths of seasons. Additionally he noted that different rules were used for the movements of the Sun and Moon compared to the other planets that supposedly revolved around Earth.

5. Making Scientific History • Using historical authors such as Cicero and Plutarch, Copernicus was able to gain credibility by noting that they shared the same theory as he did. He explained that these ancient thinkers were scientific revolutionaries but religious pressure held the truth from being known to everyone, a feat that Copernicus was able to achieve even after death.