You may have to register before you can download all our books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
A brief biography of Nicolaus Copernicus, the doctor, lawyer, and church official who developed the theory that the planets revolved around the sun, and includes information on his early life, and the events that lead to his discovery.
Discusses the youth, education, scientific observations, conflict with religious teachings and the Church, and legacy of Nicolaus Copernicus.
Includes "Commentariolus," Copernicus' hypotheses for heavenly motions; "Narratio Prima," popular introduction to Copernican theory; and "The Letter Against Werner," refutation of the views of a contemporary. Extensive editorial apparatus.
Profiles the life and work of the Polish astronomer who believed that the planets revolved around the Sun and the Earth was not the center of the universe.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) is a pivotal figure in the birth of modern science, the astronomer who "stopped the sun and set the earth in motion." Born in Poland, educated at Cracow and then in Italy, he served all of his adult life as a church administrator. His vision of a sun-centered universe, shocking to many and unbelievable to most, turned out to be the essential blueprint for a physical understanding of celestial motions, thereby triggering what is commonly called "the Copernican revolution." A first edition of his world-changing treatise, De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium, has most recently been auctioned for more than $2 million. In this book, leading historian of science Owen...
An introduction to the life and career of the Polish astronomer who argued that the sun was the center of our planetary system, rather than the Earth being at its center.
For thousands of years, the general consensus among learned people was that Earth was the center of the universe. This belief system remained unchallenged until a quiet, unassuming man wondered if his predecessors had gotten it wrong. The father of modern astronomy, Nicolaus Copernicus was a doctor, church canon, and protector of lands. In his free time, he studied the night sky, spending over thirty years observing and recording the heavens. In this historical biography, readers explore the philosophical and religious aspects of scientific discovery during the Renaissance. Sidebars offer additional information, while a timeline helps readers trace the events of Copernicus�s life.
Copernicus worked with primitive scientific instruments to prove that Earth revolved around the sun. The idea of Earth circling the sun is universally accepted today, but this was not always the case. Centuries ago, it was widely believed that the earth stood still and the sun moved. At first, Copernicus was denounced and ridiculed for this belief. Later, scientists with more advanced instruments proved that Earth did indeed revolve around the sun. Many of our modern advances in science would not have been possible without the heliocentric theory of Copernicus.