Initially, it was believed that the Earth was the center of the universe and that everything else, like the sun, moved around it. Nicolaus Copernicus, a mathematician, astrologer, and Catholic canon, formulated a model that showed the sun was the center and Earth revolved around it. Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473, in a city named Torun (Thorn) in Poland. He was the fourth child in a wealthy family and back then it was a big deal to be rich. He had opportunities that helped him reach where he was, independently.
Early Life of Nicolaus Copernicus
Copernicus’ father was a merchant in Krakow, and his mother was the daughter of a wealthy merchant in Torun. He is not known to have been married or had any kids, though he did have a relationship with his housekeeper, Anne. He was a very intellectual person who learned many languages, including Greek, Latin, Polish, Italian, and more.
Copernicus was technically of German Origin. However, by the time of his birth, Torun was ceded to Poland, making him a citizen under the Polish crown. During the mid-1480s, Copernicus’ father passed away. Copernicus was only 10 years old. Eventually, he was taken under the care of his maternal uncle. His uncle, the Bishop of Varmia Lucas Watzenrode, generously assumed the paternal role, ensuring that Copernicus received the best possible education.
It was a time when the rules and beliefs of the church prevailed the society. Being a father or a Bishop in a church was the highest and most honorable position for a person. Furthermore, anyone who went against the beliefs of the church was tortured and killed. Copernicus’ uncle also wanted him to become an honorable Bishop in the church. Even for such positions one had to complete their education.
Nicolaus Copernicus. Image Credit: space.com
Education of Copernicus
In 1491, at the age of 18, Copernicus went to the University of Krakow, where he studied painting and mathematics. Moreover, he developed a growing interest in the cosmos and started collecting books on it. Copernicus told his uncle that he was studying for church but he was actually studying astronomy. Even then he failed the subject.
However, his uncle being on a high post was a respected man and somehow got Copernicus a job in the church. The canon’s position afforded him the funds to continue his studies as long as he liked. In 1496, Copernicus took leave and traveled to Italy. There, he enrolled himself in a religious law program at the University of Bologna.
Fortunately, he met Domenico Maria Novara, who was an astronomer. Soon enough they both started sharing their thoughts and observations on astronomy, and ultimately, Domenico became Copernicus’ tutor. Even though Copernicus was a believer in science, he was also very religious. He never questioned the church but he also believed that science existed in nature. Since, during that time skies were clearer and a telescope had yet to be invented, Copernicus spent his time stargazing to observe the phenomena.
On The Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres
Copernicus had a two-year leave from the church when he went to Bologna. He failed in religious law for obvious reasons. He then somehow convinced his uncle that he should learn medicine as it would be beneficial for people and the church. So he was sent to the University of Padua in 1501, where he again did not study what he had to. Instead, he focused on astronomy.
Nicolaus Copernicus and his Observations. Image Credit: freepressjournal
Somehow in 1503, Copernicus attended the University of Ferrera to earn his doctorate in Canon Law and he rushed back to Poland. He had to do so because he couldn’t hide from the church all his life and he knew if he revealed his theories it would mean going against the church. Which was simply calling death upon one’s self. Copernicus was smart enough to know that.
Copernicus resumed his position as a canon and rejoined his uncle. He spent the rest of his life in the Lidzbark-Warminski residence ailing his uncle and exploring astronomy. He had made many discoveries but never revealed them. Furthermore, he knew what were the mistakes made by Aristotle, Ptolemy, and other theorists. Even then he never went against the church during his lifetime but his book did. He published his book ‘On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres’ before his death.
Publishing of Copernicus’ Book
The book was written by him in 1531 but the fear of not going against the church made him wait for 12 long years before publishing it. He knew that it would provoke the church yet he dedicated the book to the Pope. In May 1543, Georg Joachim Rheticus presented Copernicus with a copy of his newly published book. Copernicus is said to be clutching the book in his hands when he died on his bed suffering from an aftermath of a stroke on May 24, 1543.
Copernicus and the Church: Science in a Religious World. Image Credit: inquiriesjournal
Copernicus’ Life in a Nutshell
Throughout the time he spent in Lidzbark-Warminski Copernicus continued to study astronomy and presented an alternative to Ptolemy’s model of the universe and significantly influenced his own research. Scholars believe that around 1508, Copernicus began developing his celestial model, A heliocentric planetary system.
Copernicus’ Heliocentric solar system was named after the Sun, rather than the Earth, as the center of the solar system. Subsequently, Copernicus believed that the size and speed of each planet’s orbit depended on its distance from the Sun. In 1514 he completed a written work, Commentariolus, a 40-page manuscript that summarized his heliocentric model. However, it was not accepted in Copernicus’ era as Ptolemy’s earth-centric model was more appealing to the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church.