Nicolaus Copernicus
Sydney Lew #10339
Science 8 Period 2
Mr. Arthur
13 May, 2013
Nicolaus Copernicus revolutionized science for many years to come. Astronomer Copernicus first hypothesized that the Sun, not the Earth, was in the center of the universe without even using a telescope. This was considered a crazy idea because at this time Ptolemy’s theory, in which the Earth was the center of the solar system, which was almost universally accepted. Copernicus studied his astronomy in secret because his beliefs at that time were considered heresy. But until later in life, he published a book called On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres. This explained that in more depth about his beliefs on the solar system. Even though Copernicus died about 471 years ago, he still influences astronomy today.
Nicolaus Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473. He was the fourth and youngest son of Nicolaus Copernicus Sr. and Barbara Watzenrode. The name he was given when he was born was Mikolaj Kopernik or Nicolaus Koppernigk. But Nicolaus Copernicus is t...
Copernicus’ Secret is a biography of an astronomer and a cleric who established that the earth was never the center of the cosmos. The author, Jack Repcheck, explores the action-packed last 12 years of Copernicus’s life that altered the track of western history. The main aim of the author is to give a precise in-depth human explanation of the events that led to the scientific revolution. He also tries to bring this scientific genius to life in a manner, which has never been achieved in the past. In addition, the author also tries to reveal some of the little known weak character traits of Copernicus at the time of his major theories.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth century a Scientific Revolution swept over Europe. The start of this Scientific Revolution has been atributed to Nicolaus Copernicus and his Heliocentric Model of the Universe.
Copernicus was a Polish astronomer born in 1473, in Thorn, Poland and died in 1543. He entered the University of Krakow in 1491 and studied there for four years. In 1496 he joined the University of Bologna in Italy to study church law and studied astronomy on his own time. He was asked to make a new calendar using the geocentric theory, the theory that the sun and moon orbit the earth. He found several flaws with this system and was bothered by it and went on to discover that the planets actually orbit the sun. Galileo supported Copernicus’ theory when he made discoveries with the telescope. We consider Copernicus to be the founder of modern Astronomy.
Another important individual who drove history was the Italian astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei. Galileo discovered something so important that it changed the selfish perspective that humans were the center of the universe and led to the growth of human knowledge. Utilizing mathematics and a telescope he had developed, Galileo observed that the planets revolved around the sun and not the Earth. This was a significant discovery because not only did it contradict what the church had taught, it also showed that the universe was not what it seemed. With this truth uncovered, many people began to fascinate over the universe. This triggered people to begin studying space extensively and eventually lead to present day space exploration. Galileo also left a lasting impression upon many great minds, such as Sir Isaac Newton, who used Galileo's research and theories to further his own studies such as the physical laws, and their properties.
Throughout history, many people have had good impacts on the lives of others around them. Few men, though, can say that they’ve greatly impacted the entire world in a positive manner. Galileo Galilei is one of these men. Not only did he challenge the ideologies that people had just blindly accepted for years at the time, but he can be seen as one of the (if not the) most central figures of the 17th century scientific revolution. This period contained a number of shocking developments that conflicted with the views society had held regarding the universe--and more specifically, the Earth around them--for over a millennium.
Nicolaus Copernicus, who lived from 1473 until 1543, is known for his idea that the sun is motionless at the center of the universe and that the earth and other planets all revolve around it. This Polish astronomer revolutionized beliefs involving the universe, making his thoughts controversial in his time, but common knowledge in our own (Westman).
When Copernicus discovered the earth revolved around the sun it changed science and human perception forever. Earth had been believed to be the center of the universe for 12 centuries. This idea was profound and not accepted well at first. Copernicus was ridiculed and scorned for his novel ideas at the time, but, eventually he was vindicated with his published work De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelesium. When Copernicus finally received recognition with a published manuscript of his revolutionary work he was seventy years old, most likely on his death bed, and it was 1543. Other scientists and explorers of the time weren’t so lucky. Scientists of his day that eluded to the idea that the universe and its inhabitants might have a scientific origin and not a necessarily religious one were at risk of being tortured or executed. One courageous soul who risked life and limb in the name of science was Andreas Vesalius who, like Copernicus, turned the scientific world on its head with his work De Humanis Corporis Fabrica.
In the beginning, there was light...or maybe not. Perhaps it was darkness only disturbed by a big bang. Maybe the beginning hasn’t even happened yet. Maybe there is nothing and this is all some big illusion. Scientists, philosophers, and humans in general have been asking, wondering these very things since the moment they were able to think for themselves. Galileo, one of the most renowned scientists in history, did not start out asking these questions. He started out asking questions like, “Why must doctors know everything?” This is because way back in the days - before he was anyone even vaguely important, he was studying to become a doctor. Though, considering his potential, it would not have been a total loss for the scientific community if he had become Doctor Galileo. The truth of the matter is that Galileo Galilei was one of the smartest, most important scientists ever to wonder about the paradox that is our universe.
Nicholas Copernicus was the first to question the universal truths and teachings of the church. He devised a theory that the earth along with the other planets revolved around the sun. This theory disagreed with Aristotle and the old teachings that the universe revolved around the earth, and that man was the center of the universe.
Johannes Kepler was a German astronomer and mathematician who lived between 1671-1630. Kepler was a Copernican and initially believed that planets should follow perfectly circular orbits (“Johan Kepler” 1). During this time period, Ptolemy’s geocentric theory of the solar system was accepted. Ptolemy’s theory stated that Earth is at the center of the universe and stationary; closest to Earth is the Moon, and beyond it, expanding towards the outside, are Mercury, Venus, and the Sun in a straight line, followed by Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the “fixed stars”. The Ptolemaic system explained the numerous observed motions of the planets as having small spherical orbits called epicycles (“Astronomy” 2). Kepler is best known for introducing three effectual, applicable and valid laws of planetary motion by using the precise data he had developed from Tycho Brahe, a Danish astronomer, which helped Copernicus’s theory of the solar system gain universal reception (“Johan Kepler” 1). Nevertheless, he had made further effective contributions in the field of astronomy, which are valid to society and were used to change how the universe was perceived.
Johannes Kepler was born on December 27, 1571 in Weil der Stadt, Germany. Kepler's grandfather was supposedly from a noble background, and once Mayor of Weil. However, Kepler's father became a mercenary who narrowly avoided the gallows. Kepler's mother, Katherine, was raised by an aunt who was eventually burned as a witch. In later years, Katherine herself was accused of Devil worship, and barely escaped from being burned at the stake. Kepler had six brothers and sisters, three of which, died in infancy. In his youth, Johannes was described as:
In 1513, Nicholas Copernicus, composed a brief theory that stated that the sun is at rest and the earth is in rotation around the sun. In 1543, just days before his death, Copernicus published this theory in On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres. This theory was meant to dissolve the long lived belief in Ptolemyís theory which stated, "The earth was at the center because it was the heaviest of objects(Kagan331)." This was a common belief at that time, which supported the religious beliefs that the earth was the center of the universe and God in the heavens were surrounding the earth. Copernicusís theory was shocking, but he published such a controversial theory without sufficient evidence, it had to be considered invalid.
...centred universe, like Aristotle, and Ptolemy posed new questions for Copernicus's successors. Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, and finally Newton would be viewed as the successors to the Copernicus theory, and their contributions would complete the Copernicus revolution. Galileo with his telescope, Kepler with his ellipses, and Newton with his laws of motion and gravity.
Galileo was probably the greatest astronomer, mathematician and scientist of his time. In fact his work has been very important in many scientific advances even to this day.
Eventually, after all of the bias against the heliocentric model subsided, it was looked at in a new light. The Roman Catholic Church even eventually accepted it. Scientists began to discover that the Sun was and still is at the center of the solar system and that all the planets, including Earth, orbit it. Even though Copernicus had to fight to get his theory published and even though it had a misleading preface, Copernicus’ theory was eventually given the thought and consideration that it deserved. It has helped scientists propose the modern model of the solar system which is incredibly accurate. Copernicus’ theory also forced the Roman Catholic Church to change their view of the solar system in the light of science. These positive changes are still clearly visible today in many of the schools and churches across the globe.