Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473 - May 24, 1543) was the astronomer who formulated the first modern heliocentric theory of the solar system.
His epochal text, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), is often conceived as the starting point of modern astronomy, as well as a central and defining epiphany in the history of all science.
Among the great polymaths of the Scientific Revolution, Copernicus was a mathematician, astronomer, jurist, physician, classical scholar, Catholic cleric, governor, administrator, diplomat, economist and soldier.
Amid these extensive responsibilities, astronomy served as no more than an avocation.
Nonetheless, his conception of the sun (rather than the Earth) at the center of the solar system is considered among the most important landmarks in the history of science.
Astrophysics Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties (luminosity, density, ... >
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Johannes Kepler Johannes Kepler (December 27, 1571 - November 15, 1630), a key figure in the scientific revolution, was a German Lutheran mathematician, astrologer, ... >
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Galileo Galilei Galileo Galilei (Pisa, February 15, 1564 to January 8, 1642), was an Italian physicist, astronomer, and philosopher who is closely associated with ... >
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Sunspot A sunspot is a region on the Sun's surface (photosphere) that is marked by a lower temperature than its surroundings and intense magnetic activity, ... >
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Gravitation Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. Gravity is the reason for the very existence of the earth, the sun and ... >
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Solar flare A solar flare is a violent explosion in the Sun's atmosphere with an energy equivalent to tens of millions of hydrogen bombs. Solar flares take place ... >
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Transit of Venus A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and Earth, becoming visible against (and hence ... >
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Corona In astronomy, a corona is the luminous plasma "atmosphere" of the Sun or other celestial body, extending millions of kilometres into space, most ... >
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Star cluster Star clusters are groups of stars which are gravitationally bound. Two distinct types of star cluster can be distinguished: globular clusters are ... >
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Antikythera mechanism The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient mechanical analog computer (as opposed to digital computer) designed to calculate astronomical positions. It ... >
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