Copernicus, Nicolas
Published: August 15, 2007, 5:03 pm
Updated: October 8, 2011, 10:14 am
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Tom Lawrence
Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) was a Polish astronomer who first proposed the “heliocentric” model of the solar system, i.e., that the planets have the Sun as the fixed point to which their motions are referred. His Polish name was Mikolaj Kopernik; however he chose to use the Latin version later in life. The idea that the Sun was the center of the solar system was not new, but Copernicus described the mathematical details. In De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (1543), Copernicus was the first to create a complete and general model of the solar system, combining mathematics, physics, and cosmology. Moreover, Copernicus’s work revived interest in astronomy, a field that had advanced little in nearly three centuries. The heliocentric solar system model was objected to by both Protestant and Catholic church leaders of that day, and was outright rejected by the Catholic Church. The official acceptance of his model by the church took many years.
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Citation
Cutler J. Cleveland (Lead Author);Tom Lawrence (Topic Editor) "Copernicus, Nicolas". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 15, 2007; Last revised Date October 8, 2011; Retrieved May 21, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Copernicus,_Nicolas>
The Author
Cutler J. Cleveland is Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, where he also is on the faculty of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Professor Cleveland is Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier, 2004), winner of an American Library Association award, the Dictionary of Energy (Elsevier, 2005), Handbook of Energy (Elsevier, forthcoming), and is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. He is the recipient of the Adelma ... (Full Bio)
Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) was a Polish astronomer who first proposed the “heliocentric” model of the solar system, i.e., that the planets have the Sun as the fixed point to which their motions are referred. His Polish name was Mikolaj Kopernik; however he chose to use the Latin version later in life. The idea that the Sun was the center of the solar system was not new, but Copernicus described the mathematical details. In De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (1543), Copernicus was the first to create a complete and general model of the solar system, combining mathematics, physics, and cosmology. Moreover, Copernicus’s work revived interest in astronomy, a field that had advanced little in nearly three centuries. The heliocentric solar system model was objected to by both Protestant and Catholic church leaders of that day, and was outright rejected by the Catholic Church. The official acceptance of his model by the church took many years.
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