Nicolaus Copernicus Contributions to Astronomy

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Just like the other mathematicians like Galileo, Nicolaus Copernicus also contributed a lot on the development of the modern astronomy. The contributions of Nicolas Copernicus to astronomy were huge. His contributions came up with a great impact on the astronomical history. He changed his philosophy astronomically and religiously. It was because the Roman Catholic teachings depend from the belief that the Universe is Earth centered. It was also in contradiction with the theory that Ptolemy, a Greek astronomer, argued about.

The theory revealed that the planet Earth was a motionless sphere which can be found in the middle part of the Universe and the other planets and the sun were rotating around the mentioned planet. This theory was established in 150 A.D. & it was widely used since that time, making the hypothesis of Copernicus an extremely great impact. Although the theory of Nicolaus Copernicus went up in opposed to those obstacles, still many had issues with this belief. It is because if the planet Earth is spinning and orbiting, most people will thought that if someone jumped out, then one will be left behind in that very spot. Hence, the person will travel which of course they knew didn’t happen. After all, Copernicus’ belief was correct.

He thought his theory during the time when Earth centered astronomy was in a dilemma. The almanac was out of the step and the lunar orbit obtained the apparent size of the moon altering when it didn’t. The hypothesis of Ptolemy about the Earth centered Space wasn’t into place. It is why Copernicus attempted to prove how Universe was actually orbiting.

From the start, Copernicus began to relocate the Sun. When Copernicus centered the Sun, he started including the planets and he stated that the planet Earth was the third farthest planet from the sun. There were only few planets identified and they were Venus, Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. He researches throughout his profession as a mathematician assisted him in determining the distance of the planets from the sun. Copernicus said that the planets were rotating around the sun and the moon disregarded the orbit of the sun and it orbited around the planet Earth.

This theory responded the truth that the sizes of the planets vary all over the year and the orbits of all planets were now irregular and will be explained. He wrote his own hypothesis in a book named De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium or On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres. He wrote this particular book in 1530. On the other hand, it was not published until after he passed away in 1543.

It is believed that his book was not released straight away & it was only published after he died because he was scared that he will be recognized heretic by the Catholic people. The main reason behind his fear was the fact that in his time, anyone who is contrast with the Catholic teachings will be kept away, tortured or any other punishment will be executed against that person. This kind of situation happened to Galileo, the famous mathematician who believed in and proved the theory of Nicolaus Copernicus.

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