Nicolaus Copernicus: brief biography and essence of his teachings. Who is Copernicus? Nicolaus Copernicus: biography, discoveries Nicolaus Copernicus his discoveries briefly

It is impossible to say for sure who Copernicus is. It is believed that he is a theorist, astronomer, mathematician, mechanic, economist, canon, humanist, who lived from 1473 to 1543. He is the supposed creator modern theory planetary structure, according to which the Sun is in the center. However, information about his life and work is very contradictory, which does not allow us to unambiguously answer the question: “Who is Copernicus?” There is a high probability that it was a dummy. The name Copernicus could also refer to a whole group of innovators in the field of astronomy who were hiding from persecution. However, we will present official biography this scientist. You will find out who Copernicus is, according to the most common version. Sometimes there are several popular versions, and then we will present them all.

Date of birth, origin of Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus, according to Polish historians of the 19th century, was born in 1473, on February 2. This event took place in the Prussian city of Torn (modern Toruń, Poland). According to astrological calculations by the teacher of Galileo and Kepler (M. Maestlin), he was born at 4:48 am. pm February 19, 1473. It is this date that is repeated by most scientific sources of our time.

The father of the future scientist is his namesake. There are many versions of who Copernicus the Elder was and what he did. He was either a merchant, a peasant, a doctor, a brewer, or a baker. This man came from Krakow to Toruń around 1460. In Toruń, Nikolai's father became a respected man. He served for many years as an elected city judge. In addition, he was the bearer of the honorary title of “brother tertiary” (a lay assistant to the monks belonging to this order).

What does the name Copernicus mean?

It is impossible to say exactly what the surname Copernicus means, but historians believe that distant ancestors in the family of Nicholas were copper traders (copper in Latin is “cuprum”). Another version is that the surname comes from the names of villages in Silesia that have the same name. Presumably they got their name from the dill that grew in the area (in Polish, dill is "koper"). However, the exact location of these villages is unknown. Polish historians first discovered this surname in Krakow documents dating back to 1367. It is known that later its bearers were artisans of various professions, including coppersmiths, stonemasons, gunsmiths, bathhouse attendants, and watchmen.

The fate of Nikolai's relatives

Nicolaus Copernicus Sr. married Varvara Watzenrode, daughter of the chairman of the court, in Toruń. It is believed that the wedding took place before 1463. Four children were born into the family. Nikolai was the youngest of them.

In Poland, even today they indicate the house where Nicolaus Copernicus was allegedly born, whose biography interests us. This building, shown in the photo below, became an object of pilgrimage for many Poles at the end of the 18th century. Its plaster and bricks are national relics that are kept in museums.

The children in the Copernicus family studied in their hometown, where they received a good education. Andrei, the elder brother, born around 1464, accompanied Nicholas everywhere almost until his death (he died in 1518 or 1519). He helped him in his studies and religious career. In 1512, Andrei fell ill with leprosy, and A. Copernicus died a few years later. Let's briefly talk about the fate of our hero's sisters. The first, Varvara, was tonsured a monk in Kulm. She died around 1517. And Catherine went to Krakow with her husband, merchant Bartholomew Gertner. After this, her traces are lost. What about our hero, Nicolaus Copernicus? His biography and discoveries are worthy of detailed study. First we will talk about life path Nicolaus Copernicus, and then - about his achievements.

Death of parents, care of uncle

In 1483, Nicholas's father died from a transient illness (presumably the plague). The mother died in 1489. After her death, Luka Watzenrode, her mother’s brother (pictured below), took care of the family. He was a canon of the local diocese, and after some time became its bishop. This man was educated for that time. He was a master of Krakow and also a doctor at another university - Bologna.

Training of brothers Nikolai and Andrey

Soon Andrei and Nicolaus Copernicus followed in the footsteps of their uncle. The biography of our hero continues with a long period of training. After graduating from the city school (around 1491), the brothers went to the Jagiellonian University. Nikolai and Andrey chose the Faculty of Liberal Arts. In this educational institution they became familiar with the humanism that was spreading at that time. The university supposedly even preserved a certificate indicating payment for tuition (for 1491) by Nicolaus Copernicus. After studying Latin, astronomy, mathematics and other sciences for 3 years, the brothers decided to leave Krakow without receiving a diploma. Perhaps they made this decision because the scholastic party, whose representatives belonged to the Hungarian community, won at the university in 1494.

Brothers are chosen to become canons

Andrei and Nikolai intended to continue their studies in Italy. However, my uncle, who by this time had become the Bishop of Ermeland, did not have extra funds for this. He advised his nephews to take the places of canons (members of the government chapter) in the diocese subordinate to him in order to receive the salary necessary for long travel and study abroad. However, this plan was not implemented immediately - it was prevented by the brothers’ lack of diplomas. Even strong protection did not help. Nevertheless, the brothers nevertheless went to study as lawyers at the University of Bologna in 1496. They were elected in absentia to the positions of canons in 1487, with the provision of a salary, as well as a 3-year leave to continue their education.

Continuation of studies at the University of Bologna

The scientist Nicolaus Copernicus studied not only law, but also astronomy. His biography of this time is marked by his acquaintance with Dominic Maria di Navar. This is a teacher at the University of Bologna, a famous astrologer of that time. Copernicus, whose biography can only be reconstructed on the basis of indirect sources, in his future book allegedly mentions the astronomical observations that he jointly carried out with his teacher. At the University of Bologna, Nicholas also learned Greek, which was quite popular among humanists, but aroused suspicion of heresy from Catholic scholastics. In addition, he fell in love with painting - a painting has been preserved, which is considered a copy of a self-portrait made by Copernicus.

Lectures in Rome, studying medicine

The brothers studied in Bologna for 3 years, again without receiving a diploma. According to historians, for a short time Nicholas worked as a mathematics teacher in Rome, at the same time giving astronomical lectures to Alexander VI Borgia, the Pope, as well as Italian scientists. However, there is no evidence for this opinion.

In 1501, the brothers returned for a short time to Frauenburg, to their place of service. They wanted to ask for a deferment to continue their studies. Having received it, the brothers went to study medicine at the University of Padua. They remained here until 1506 and again did not receive a diploma. However, in 1503, the brothers passed external examinations at the University of Ferrara and became doctors of law.

Return to homeland, service with the bishop

The Copernicians returned to their homeland in 1506 after completing their studies. By this time Nikolai was already 33 years old, and Andrei was 42. At that time, receiving diplomas at this age was considered normal. Moreover, many scientists recognized in the scientific community (for example, G. Gallileo) did not have diplomas. This did not prevent all of them from receiving professorships.

Nicolaus Copernicus, after a year of service as a canon in Frombork, became an adviser to the bishop (his uncle), and then the chancellor of the diocese. He helped his relative fight the Teutonic Order, which was headed in 1511 by Albrecht von Hohenzollern, his future renegade. Nicholas also helped in negotiating with Sigismund I, the Polish king, who was Albrecht's uncle. It is believed that Luka Watzelrode wanted to make Nicholas his successor. However, he did not have sufficient activity and ambition for this kind of activity.

Moving to Fraenburg

Copernicus began to create an astronomical theory at this time. In February 1512, Bishop Luke Watzelrode died. From this time on, the Copernican sinecure ends. The bishop's chair is occupied by Fabian Losainen, a classmate of the brothers at the University of Bologna. Nikolai has to leave Lidzbarg. N. Copernicus returns to Frauenburg, where he becomes a canon of the cathedral. Tiedemann Giese, his supporter and friend, becomes chancellor of the diocese. However, Nikolai’s duties do not yet burden him much. He was in charge of economic affairs and tax collection. Around this time, his brother Andrei falls ill with leprosy and decides to leave for Italy.

Copernicus becomes famous

Copernicus continues his studies in astronomy. The scientist allegedly gained fame in this field at the end of the 15th century. His lectures became very popular, they were attended by Alexander VI Borgia, as well as Nicholas da Vinci. Historians note that Pope Leo X in 1514 asked the scientist what he thought about calendar reform. Nicolaus Copernicus expressed his opinion in a letter to Paul of Middelburg, the papal curator of the matter. He advised to postpone this idea for a while, until he completed the creation of his theory (on which, by the way, Copernicus worked for 30 years). However, no written evidence has been found to prove this.

Nicolaus Copernicus was elected in the fall of 1516 to replace Tiedemann Giese. He becomes the manager of the southern possessions belonging to the Warmia diocese. And from that time on Giese held the position of bishop of Kulm. Due to his new appointment, Copernicus moved to Olsztyn for 4 years. Here he is forced to take up military craft - the troops of the Teutonic Order attack Warmia and capture part of it. And one day they even besieged the residence of Copernicus himself. Nicholas returns to Frombork in 1521, after peace was concluded with the Teutonic Order.

First treatise, proposals for monetary reform

It is believed that it was then that he created his first treatise called “Small Commentary”. This essay made his theory known in a narrow circle. Copernicus's proposals for monetary reform in Prussia date back to 1528. It was then that he presented them at the Elbląg Sejm.

The charge brought against Copernicus

After the death of Ferber in 1537, Johann Dantiscus, a former humanist and epicurean, became the bishop of Warmia. Subsequently, he became a hypocrite and a retrograde, and it was thanks to this that he made a religious career. Copernicus' reign brought a lot of grief and trouble. The dentist allegedly accused Nicholas of immoral cohabitation with Anna Schilling, a married housekeeper. The woman was allegedly forbidden by a special decree from the bishop to appear in Frombork, since this dangerous person had seduced the “venerable astronomer.”

Last years of life, death

I. Rheticus came to Copernicus in 1539 to study his theory. After some time, he published a book where a new theory was presented, and then published a book by his teacher.

Copernicus died on May 24, 1543. Death occurred after a stroke and the resulting paralysis of the right half of the body. In 1655, Pierre Gassendi wrote a biography, according to which his friends placed the original of his book into the cold hands of Copernicus. Nicholas, according to modern historians, was buried in Frombork Cathedral (his photo is presented above). In 1581, a portrait was installed opposite his grave, and near the cathedral there is a monument to Nicholas.

Acts of Nicholas

N. Copernicus is known primarily as the creator of the heliocentric theory. However, he is also credited with many other activities typical of gifted and highly educated humanists of the time. Let us briefly describe the main discoveries of Copernicus.

Translation from Greek

In 1509, Nicholas, who was fluent in Greek, translated a work from the 6th or 7th century into Latin. BC e. "Moral, rural and Love letters Theophylact Simocatta, scholastic." It is believed that the creator of this work was the last historian who belongs to the ancient tradition. Unfortunately, it is not known whether this translation was published, but its text is known. Interestingly, historians report that this correspondence with historical and mythical figures is filled with anachronisms and does not represent anything outstanding. However, for some reason, Copernicus was delighted with the “boring” rubbish, and inspired Nicholas to translate his work. In addition, the heirs of Nicholas’s work also published other works of Theophylact Scholasticus.

Cartography classes

And in this area Copernicus left his mark. He created a map of Prussia, which, unfortunately, has not survived. Using a self-made parallactic ruler made from fir cones, Nikolai determined the latitude of Frauenburg with an accuracy of 3". These sticks, called "triquetra", are today in the University of Krakow. According to historians, at the end of the 16th century this precious relic was found by John Hanovius , Bishop of Warmia, gave Tycho to Brahe through Elias Olai Cimber, a student of the latter.

Other activities of Copernicus

During the period of control of the lands of Warmia (from 1516 to 1520), Nicolaus Copernicus mastered the craft of a commander, military engineer and administrator. His involvement in public finance dates back to the late 1520s. In addition, they write that Nikolai was a famous doctor who treated artisans and peasants for free. Copernicus' discoveries allegedly even included his invention of the sandwich.

"Small comment"

Three essays present the astronomical works of Nicolaus Copernicus. Two of them were published only in the 19th century. The first essay is “Small Commentary,” which briefly outlines Nicholas’s theory. A copy of this manuscript was found in the Vienna Court Library in 1877 or 1878. And a few years later, in 1881, the same notebook with notes from Copernicus himself was discovered. It consists of 16 sheets and was found at Uppsala University, in its library. However, it is sometimes reported that it was discovered in Stockholm.

"The Epistle of Copernicus against Werner" and "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres"

"The Epistle of Copernicus against Werner" is the second most recent work of Nicholas on astronomy. This is his letter to Bernard Wapowski, rector of the Krakow Cathedral. The work is doubly interesting, since it presents the author’s chronological reasoning, which is based on an analysis of the precession of stars in accordance with medieval and ancient sources. In 1543, Copernicus's main book, On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, was published. The place of publication of this work is either Regensburg or Nuremberg. It contains the results of the author's observations, as well as a catalog of 1025 stars, compiled by him personally.

Copernican theory

The ideas of this scientist were very bold for their time. The world of Copernicus was radically different from the generally accepted views of his predecessors and contemporaries. Nicholas discarded the geocentric one that Ptolemy created. This was a bold move at the time, as the model was rarely questioned. She was supported by a very influential woman at the time. Catholic Church. According to it, the center of the universe is the Earth, and the Sun, the sphere of fixed stars and all the planets revolve around it. The heliocentric system of Copernicus radically diverged from this idea. The scientist believed that the Earth, like other planets, moves around the Sun. Nikolai noted that the movement of the sky that we observe during the day is a consequence of the movement of our planet around its axis. Copernicus' discoveries were presented in his work “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres,” which was published in the year of his death. The book was banned by the Catholic Church in 1616. Nevertheless, new ideas steadily made their way. The discovery made by Nikolai gave a powerful impetus to natural science. Many scientists subsequently turned to him.

So, we have outlined the biography and discoveries of Nicolaus Copernicus briefly. As you understand, there is only a certain degree of probability that certain facts from his life are true. Reconstructing the biography of people who lived long before us is always difficult. However, we have tried to present the most probable information about such a person as Copernicus. His biography and his discoveries are still the subject of study by historians. Perhaps after some time they will be able to obtain more accurate information.

Copernicus was the first to prove the inconsistency of the ancient ideas about the universe. His works served as a breakthrough in astronomy. We decided to remember and tell who Nicolaus Copernicus is.

Biography of Copernicus - briefly

February 19, 1473 A fourth child was born into the merchant family of Barbara Watzenrode and Nicolaus Copernicus. The baby was named after his father. Toruń, the Prussian city where the family lived, became part of the Kingdom of Poland in 1466. The answer to the question in which country Copernicus was born is obvious - in Poland. Ethnic origin is difficult to determine. It is known that the mother was German, the father had either Polish or German roots.

Both parents died when Nikolai was 10 years old. The children remained in the care of Uncle Lukash, who served as a canon. Until his death, the future scientist was accompanied by his older brother Andrei. With the encouragement of their teacher, the brothers studied theology, Greek, mathematics, medicine and astronomy at several European universities.

Copernicus, as evidenced by him short biography, received his diploma only in 1503. At the University of Krakow they did not give him the document. Other educational establishments Nikolai threw it himself. Having received an academic degree in Italy, he began to practice medicine in the city of Ferrari. In 1506 he returned to Poland. Uncle Lukash was already a bishop and made his nephew his confidant.

The activities of the clergyman in the biography of Nicolaus Copernicus do not prevent him from pursuing science. After the death of his teacher in 1512, he moved to Frombork and took up the duties of a canon.

One of the towers of the fortress is dedicated to the observatory. Here he brings together experience and thoughts. Nikolai is actively discussing the world model with friends and is closely involved in writing a book. He reveals ideas in letters. They served as notes for writing the “Small Commentary on Hypotheses Relating to Celestial Movements.”

Copernicus was burned at the stake

Some people believe that Nikolai Nikolaevich fell victim to the courts of the Inquisition. There is such an opinion, but it has no basis. How did Copernicus really die?

The model proposed by the scientist is not perfect, but it is simpler than that of its predecessor, Ptolemy. It is considered a revolutionary step in science. The theory spread quickly in the 1520s, even before the paper edition was published. Thanks to the student Rheticus, six books with the discoveries of Copernicus were published in 1543.

Whether the author saw these publications remains an open question. In May of the same year, he died of a stroke. Because the theory was propagated and developed by the followers of Copernicus, they were burned at the stake. Nikolai Nikolaevich himself avoided this fate. He simply did not live to see the times when the courts of the Inquisition got close to his works.

The books contradicted established ideas and church canons, but they were only recommended to be edited. Many publishing houses did not respond to the recommendations and released the text in full. Even after it was officially banned in 1616, Copernicus' theory was used to calculate the motion of the planets.

Copernicus' heliocentric system

The new astronomical model of the world is described in the following statements:

• The absence of a common center for orbits and spheres;
• The Sun is the center of the orbits of all planets, therefore the world; The Earth is the center of the Moon's orbit;
• the movement of the Sun is an effect of the movement of the Earth;
• The distance to the Sun is small relative to the distance to the fixed stars.

Nicolaus Copernicus, if you look at his short biography, also has other discoveries. In one of the works, the author talks about universal gravitation. He represents heaviness as “a certain aspiration” and assumes that all spherical celestial bodies possess this property.

In economics, the Copernican-Gresham law is known. Two scientists, independently of each other, drew attention to the dependence of the circulation of money on the amount of savings. People accumulate more valuable ones (for example, gold), but inferior (copper) funds are in circulation.

The principle served as the basis for the development of a new monetary system in Poland.

Copernicus Museum in Warsaw

The museum was opened in 2005. There are approximately 450 interactive exhibits on display. In particular, there is a planetarium where the heliocentric model of the world is clearly demonstrated. In 2010, the institution received a new title. It all started with the opening of a robotics seminar.

Now this building in Warsaw is called the Copernicus Science Center. He is the largest scientific center in Poland and one of the largest in Europe. In 2011 a technology park, chemical, physical and biological laboratories were opened. Objects have been identified for study by children and youth, and meetings are held aimed at popularizing science.

In Warsaw, the Copernicus Museum was divided into several thematic parts:

• Roots of Civilizations– the gallery will tell about the history of mankind. Technologies allow you to plunge back into the depths of centuries, carry out archaeological excavations, create models of legendary buildings, and conduct several experiments;
• man and environment– the robotic collection represents the structure of the human body on an enlarged scale;
• Copernican sky– heliocentric system of the Copernican world;
• light zone– will initiate the observer into the laws of optics;
• world in motion– you can see the origins of some natural phenomena or feel their consequences.

There are many shortcomings in the scientific and philosophical ideas of N. Copernicus. However, they pushed subsequent scientists to create a more advanced model of the world. It is not without reason that Nikolai Nikolaevich’s achievements are considered a revolutionary step in scientific circles.

By the way, why do you think the intermediate stage between speculation and knowledge is so important in our development? Write in the comments.

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Biography of Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)

Short biography:

Education: University of Padua, University of Cracow, University of Ferrara, University of Bologna

Place of Birth: Toruń, Poland

A place of death: Frauenburg, Poland

– Polish astronomer, mathematician: biography with photos, main ideas and discoveries, contributions to science, heliocentric system of the world, the Sun in the center.

Accepted in modern times as the father of astronomy, he was born on February 19, 1473. starts in Toruń, Poland. He was the son of a successful merchant. After the death of his father, he was raised by his uncle, a wealthy Catholic bishop. It was his uncle who arranged for Copernicus to study at the University of Krakow, which was famous at that time for its mathematical, philosophical and astronomical studies. training programs

The interest in astronomy eventually developed into a major interest. During its biographies Nicolaus Copernicus he worked alone, without outside help or advice. All observations were made without the use of optical instruments, because the latter were invented only a hundred years later. Nicolaus Copernicus watched from a tower located on the protective wall surrounding the monastery. In 1530, Copernicus completed work on his first great work entitled “De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium” (On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres). It was in this book that he argued that the Earth rotates on its axis once every day and travels around the Sun throughout the year. This was an unimaginably fantastic idea at the time. Before the time of Copernicus, thinkers in the Western world adhered to the Ptolemaic theory, according to which the universe was a closed space, limited by a spherical shell, beyond which there was nothing. They believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe and that the stars, planets and the Sun revolved around the stationary Earth. This was the famous geocentric (Earth-centered) theory. Copernicus was in no hurry to publish his book, as he was a perfectionist and believed that it was necessary to check and double-check his observations.

Thirteen years after it was written, in 1543, De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium was finally published. Unfortunately, Copernicus died later that year and did not learn about the great controversy he had created. It is said that he apparently received the first copy of his book on his deathbed when he died on May 24, 1543 in Frombork, Poland. His great book went against the philosophical and religious beliefs that were propagated in the Middle Ages. The Church argued that man was created by God in his own image and therefore is the next creature after him. That is, man is superior to all other creatures and was not at all part of the natural world. The Church feared that because of the teachings of Nicolaus Copernicus, people would believe that they were just part of the world, but not above it, which went against the theories of politically powerful churchmen of the time. His work forever changed man's place in outer space. The revelation of the heliocentric (sun-centered) theory marked the beginning of a scientific revolution and a new look at the picture of the Universe.

(1473-1543) Polish astronomer

Nicolaus Copernicus was born in the Polish city of Toruń into the family of a merchant who came from Germany. He was orphaned at an early age and raised in the house of his uncle, the famous Polish humanist Bishop Lukasz Wachenrode. In 1490, he graduated from the University of Krakow and became a canon of the cathedral in Frombork, a fishing town at the mouth of the Vistula. He remained in this position (with interruptions) until the end of his life.

In 1496, Copernicus went on a long journey to Italy. He first studied at the University of Bologna, where he became a Master of Arts and also studied ecclesiastical law. It was in Bologna that he developed an interest in astronomy, which determined his scientific destiny.

He then returned to Poland for a short time, but soon returned to Italy, where he studied medicine at the University of Padua and received a doctorate in theology from the University of Ferrara. Nicolaus Copernicus returned to his homeland in 1503 in full educated person. He settled first in the city of Lidzbark, where he served as a secretary and doctor for his uncle, and after his death he moved to Frombork, where he lived until the end of his life.

Nicolaus Copernicus was an amazingly versatile scientist. Simultaneously with his studies in astronomy, he was engaged in translations of the works of Byzantine authors, as well as medicine, earning a reputation as an excellent doctor. Copernicus treated the poor for free: day and night he was ready to rush to the aid of the sick. In addition, he participated in the management of the region and was in charge of its financial and economic affairs. But most of all he was interested in astronomy, which he presented somewhat differently than was customary.

By that time, the system of the world structure proposed by the ancient Greek scientist Claudius Ptolemy had existed for almost one and a half millennia. It consisted in the fact that the Earth rests motionless in the center of the Universe, and the Sun and other planets revolve around it. Ptolemy's theory did not explain many phenomena well known to astronomers, in particular the loop-like movement of planets across the visible sky. Nevertheless, its provisions were considered unshakable, since they were in good agreement with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Long before Copernicus, the ancient Greek scientist Aristarchus argued that the Earth moves around the Sun. But he could not yet experimentally confirm his teaching.

Observing the movement of celestial bodies, Nicolaus Copernicus came to the conclusion that Ptolemy’s theory was incorrect. After thirty years of hard work, long observations and complex mathematical calculations, he convincingly proved that the Earth is only one of the planets and that all planets revolve around the Sun. True, Copernicus still believed that the stars are motionless and are located on the surface of a huge sphere, at a great distance from the Earth. This was due to the fact that at that time there were no such powerful telescopes with which one could observe the sky and stars.

Having discovered that the Earth and the planets are satellites of the Sun, Nicolaus Copernicus was able to explain the apparent movement of the Sun across the sky, the strange entanglement in the movement of some planets, as well as the apparent rotation of the sky. He believed that we perceive the movement of celestial bodies in the same way as the movement of various objects on Earth when we ourselves are in motion. When we are sailing in a boat on the surface of a river, it seems that the boat and we are motionless in it, and the banks are floating in the opposite direction. In the same way, to an observer on Earth, it seems that the Earth is motionless, and the Sun is moving around it. In fact, it is the Earth that moves around the Sun and makes a full revolution in its orbit during the year.

Sometime between 1510 and 1514 Nicolaus Copernicus wrote short message, in which he first informed scientists about his discovery. It created the impression of a bomb exploding and became the cause of misfortune not only for its author, but also for his followers. To accept such a theory meant destroying the authority of the church, since this concept refuted the theory of the divine origin of the Universe.

Copernicus's theory was fully expounded in his work “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres.” The author did not live to see this book spread throughout the world. He was dying when friends brought him the first copy of his book, printed in one of the Nuremberg printing houses. His book aroused interest among progressive-minded scientists.

Church leaders did not immediately understand the blow to religion that Copernicus’ book dealt. For some time his work was freely distributed among scientists. Only when Nicolaus Copernicus had followers was his teaching declared heresy, and the book included in the “Index of Prohibited Books.” Only in 1835 did the Pope exclude the book of Copernicus from this index and thereby, as it were, acknowledge the existence of his teaching in the eyes of the church.

In 1600, the Italian scientist Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake for promoting the views of Copernicus. But this could not stop the development of science.

Soon after the death of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei established that the Sun also rotates around its axis, which confirmed the correctness of the Polish scientist’s conclusions.

It is obvious that the patterns discovered by Copernicus contributed to the further development of astronomy, in which more and more new discoveries are still being made.

What contribution Nicolaus Copernicus made to science and astronomy, you will learn from this article.

The future astronomer was born in 1473 in the Polish city of Torun on the Vistula. While studying at the University of Krakow, he developed an interest in astronomy. It was during his student years that he conducted his first studies and began to doubt the Ptolemaic system of the world.

Nicolaus Copernicus's contribution to astronomy

Before Nicolaus Copernicus, the Earth was considered the only stationary body in the Universe and the most main part of the universe. Religion taught that all heavenly bodies were specially created for the Earth and people. However, the research and works of Nicolaus Copernicus forced science to abandon the Ptolemaic concept of the world. And that's why.

Scientist Nicolaus Copernicus put forward a revolutionary theory about what exactly The Sun, not the Earth, is at the center of the world. And the planets move around it, including the Earth and its satellite, the Moon. Far from the solar system there is a sphere of stars. In other words, the astronomer reduced our planet to the rank of an ordinary cosmic body. He explained the visible movements of stars and planets by the annual and daily revolution of the Earth around the star. The scientist first described the change of day and night, seasons. In his work “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres” (1543), which Copernicus dedicated to the Pope, he described the entire inconsistency of the previously dominant idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe heavenly and earthly. Also in the book, the genius included tables of stars, instructions for observing the planets, useful information on spherical astronomy and trigonometry, and explained in more detail the new system of the world. After his death, Pope Gregory XIII, based on the research data of Nicolaus Copernicus, introduced a more accurate calendar - the Gregorian.

Copernicus' theory, compared to Ptolemy's theory, was simpler and more practical. According to it, the movement in the Universe was subject to unified mechanics and general laws. The new world system is called the heliocentric world system.

In addition to astronomical research, Nicolaus Copernicus invented the hydraulic system and plumbing. The scientist’s hydraulic developments at the beginning of the 16th century were very progressive. He was the first to design a complex for efficient use of water resources. The invention supplied water to houses, regulated flows, ensured river navigation, used water energy for mills, and filled fortress ditches and city wells with water. Today, water pipelines created by his hand operate in Frauenburg and Grundziendz. Nicolaus Copernicus also designed for the Frombork Tower mechanical lift. In addition, the scientist is founder of the new Polish monetary system.