Nicolaus Copernicus
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| + | '''Nicolaus Copernicus''' ([[February 19]], [[1473]] – [[May 24]], [[1543]]) was the first <!-- please no assertion of nationality here; see section on his nationality, the discussion page and Wikipedia:Neutral point of view --> [[astronomer]] to formulate a scientifically based [[heliocentrism|heliocentric]] [[cosmology]] that displaced the [[Earth]] from the center of the universe. His epochal book, ''[[De revolutionibus orbium coelestium]]'' (''On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres''), is often regarded as the starting point of modern [[astronomy]] and the defining [[epiphany (feeling)|epiphany]] that began the [[Scientific Revolution]]. | ||
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| + | Although [[Greece|Greek]], [[Indian astronomy|Indian]] and [[Islamic astronomy|Muslim]] [[savant]]s had published heliocentric [[hypothesis|hypotheses]] centuries before Copernicus, his publication of a scientific theory of heliocentrism, demonstrating that the motions of celestial objects can be explained without putting the Earth at rest in the center of the universe, stimulated further scientific investigations, and became a [[landmark]] in the [[history of science|history of modern science]] that is known as the [[Copernican Revolution]]. | ||
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| + | Among the great [[polymath]]s of the [[Renaissance]], Copernicus was a [[mathematician]], [[astronomer]], [[physician]], [[classical scholar]], [[translator]], [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic cleric]], [[jurist]], [[governor]], [[military|military leader]], [[diplomacy|diplomat]] and [[economist]]. Amid his extensive responsibilities, astronomy figured as little more than an avocation — yet it was in that field that he made his mark upon the world. | ||
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Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) was the first astronomer to formulate a scientifically based heliocentric cosmology that displaced the Earth from the center of the universe. His epochal book, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), is often regarded as the starting point of modern astronomy and the defining epiphany that began the Scientific Revolution.
Although Greek, Indian and Muslim savants had published heliocentric hypotheses centuries before Copernicus, his publication of a scientific theory of heliocentrism, demonstrating that the motions of celestial objects can be explained without putting the Earth at rest in the center of the universe, stimulated further scientific investigations, and became a landmark in the history of modern science that is known as the Copernican Revolution.
Among the great polymaths of the Renaissance, Copernicus was a mathematician, astronomer, physician, classical scholar, translator, Catholic cleric, jurist, governor, military leader, diplomat and economist. Amid his extensive responsibilities, astronomy figured as little more than an avocation — yet it was in that field that he made his mark upon the world.
