Nicolaus
Copernicus
I was born in 1473 on February 19. I was the youngest of
four children, son of Nicolaus
Copernicus Sr. and Barbara Watzenrode. After my father’s death in 1483 my siblings and I lived with my uncle Lucas, who was a successful cleric that later became a bishop in 1489. My uncle got me very involved in the church and helped me with my education. I was enrolled in the University of Cracow in 1496, studying canon law. I was elected with an administrative position, just below a bishop. In 1496 I continued studying canon law at the University of Bologna.
Copernicus Sr. and Barbara Watzenrode. After my father’s death in 1483 my siblings and I lived with my uncle Lucas, who was a successful cleric that later became a bishop in 1489. My uncle got me very involved in the church and helped me with my education. I was enrolled in the University of Cracow in 1496, studying canon law. I was elected with an administrative position, just below a bishop. In 1496 I continued studying canon law at the University of Bologna.
While living at Bologna University I bunked with astronomy
professor Domencio Maria Novara and there is where my first astronomical
observations were observed.
Around 1500 is when I first adopted my theory. Corvinus
helped me print my manuscript Commentariolus
that included his theory of the earth rotating while the sun was the one
standing still; which was never
officially published. Around 1513 after leaving my uncles palace is when I
decided to make my own outdoor observatory
My second book On the Revolutions encompassed more
elaborate details of the first book which talked about the order of the
heavenly bodies according to the sun. I also developed the Heliocentric System
which is a depiction where the sun is in the center of the universe and the
Earth and other planets are rotating around it. However, my theory was not very
popular and accepted because I could not explain at that point why the stars
seemed to remain in the same place while the Earth was changing viewpoints.
What inspired me to make this system was really just other people like Aristotle who believed that the the Earth was the center of the Universe. I was curious for finding out the truth for myself, especailly since no could prove this theory.
Today my theory helps because we now know how long a year lasts and why the moon and stars appearsto disappear and reappear. Also, my theory explains and shows why we have seasons and day and night and why opposite regions of the earth have opposite temperatures.
Citations: http:// plato.stanford.edu/entries/Copernicus/
