Nicolaus Copernicus and the Heliocentric Theory Luigi La Hairong

“The Earth is at the center of the universe.”

No ！The Sun is at the center of the universe！

Yes，it’s me！ Nicolaus Copernicus

 contents Introduction Basic information Background Major achievement Influence

Introduction Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance mathematician and astronomer. We all know him for his heliocentric theory. he formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center of the universe. Although Copernicus made an important contribution to the Scientific Revolution, he was terribly persecuted for this theory. This model in his book was published just before his death.

Basic information Copernicus was born in the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. He studied law, medicine and theology and was interested in astronomical knowledge at university Copernicus was not a professional astronomers and most of time he was a priest and doctor. his medical skill is very good. Copernicus with medicinal plant

Background The church supported geocentric theory. The Vatican suppressed heretics cruelly. Even Martin Luther was also totally against him. 模板来自于 http://docer.wps.cn 8

Major achievement Copernicus‘s “Commentariolus” summarized his heliocentric theory. It listed the "assumptions" upon which the theory was based, as follows: 1. There is no one center of all the celestial circles or spheres. 2. The center of the earth is not the center of the universe, but only of gravity and of the lunar sphere. 4. The distance from the earth to the sun is small. 3. All the spheres revolve about the sun as their midpoint, and therefore the sun is the center of the universe. 5. Whatever motion appears in the firmament arises not from any motion of the firmament, but from the earth's motion. 6. What appear to us as motions of the sun arise not from its motion but from the motion of the earth and our sphere. 7. The apparent retrograde and direct motion of the planets arises not from their motion but from the earth's.

Major achievement Copernicus's major theory was published in Dē revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres) 1.General vision of the heliocentric theory, and a summarized exposition of his idea of the World 2.Mainly theoretical, presents the principles of spherical astronomy and a list of stars (as a basis for the arguments developed in the subsequent books) 3.Mainly dedicated to the apparent motions of the Sun and to related phenomena 4.Description of the Moon and its orbital motions 5.Exposition of the motions in longitude of the non-terrestrial planets 6.Exposition of the motions in latitude of the non-terrestrial planets

  Influence Copernicus made an important contribution to the Scientific Revolution and after that, the natural science began to be liberated from theology.

Thank you for listening! Luigi La Hairong