Nicolaus+Copernicus

Introduction

 “To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.” (BrianyQuotes). It is because of this that Nicholas Copernicus, a scientist and astronomer challenged Aristotle’s theory of Earth being the center of the galaxy (Ball). Copernicus sets out to prove that the sun instead was the center of the galaxy and all other planets revolves around it. Without the technology that scientists have today, Copernicus dedicated his life to this research and made an impact in history. In spite of Nicolaus Copernicus discoveries of Heliocentric the world wouldn’t be the same (Sobel).



Personal Background

 Nicolaus Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473 in Torun Poland. Copernicus, the astronomer, whose discoveries make him the great predecessor of Kepler and Newton, did not come from a noble family, as certain other early astronomers have done, for his father was a tradesman.(Ball). Copernicus grew up Niklas Koppernigk, the second and youngest of four children of a merchant family raised in Torun in a tall brick house that is now a museum to the memory of the town’s famous son. (Sobel). At age ten Nicolaus father died. He went to go live with his uncle Lucas Watzenrode. (O’Conner). He was homeschooled. (Ball). Soon after Nicolaus was sent to a Cathedral school by his uncle. (O’Conner). He earned degrees in Mathematics. (Karwatka). He was capable of teacher math as well. (Ball).  Growing up Nicolaus wanted to work in the medical field. (Ball). Copernicus went to Italy to study medicine and church law. (Karwatka). At times he was a scholar. He’d think himself as a Greek scholar. He was a student at canon law. Nicolaus was once a physician. He practices a lot with medicine. (Eyres). He liked to be in science. At age 27 Nicolaus joined science. (Ball). In 1510, Copernicus at 37, assumed his position as a canon of vermin in Fauenburg. The cathedral chapt him a house, or curia outside the fortification walls plus two servants’ and three houses. (Sobel).

Personality Traits  Nicolaus Copernicus was very smart man growing up. Nicolaus was sent by his uncle to the cathedral school of Wloclawek where he received a good standard humanist education (O’Connor).The mild- mannered Nicolaus Copernicus was at various times a Greek scholar, student of cannon law, physician, currency reformer and a senior civil servant (Eyres). He earned two degrees in Mathematics. This shows he was well educated and that he paid attention in school. Always keen to make observations, Copernicus returned to his home/observatory in Freudenberg whenever there was a reason to attend a meeting or consult with the other canons, always taking the opportunity to further his researches (O’Connor). He was very observant; he’d always check his work over and over again. In Nicolaus’s spare time, he had no particular aspirations to be an astronomer. He earned a doctoral degree in church law (Karwatka). Copernicus was very ambitions. He was always striving for more education. However, Copernicus made a public display of gratitude to his uncle by dedicating his first published work translation, from Greek into Latin, of a collection of letters by a 7th – century moralist from Constantinople (Sobel). Despite Copernicus knowledgeable ideas, he was very gracious. It was Nicolaus’s observations of the lunar occultation of the bright star Aldebaran with his teacher Domenico Maria Novara in Bologna in March 1497 that eventually led to his rejection of Ptolemaic and Aristotelian geocentrism. His astronomical discoveries, leading to the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun rather than vice versa, could be considered merely a sideline in his life work (Eyres). This points out Copernicus was curious and again ambition because he strived to look for more about the Universe. Giving these points about Nicolaus Copernicus is a very clever person that is also pleasant to be around.

Obstacles

 Many scientists around the world became famous because of the work they have done. Many of these scientists had to go through tough situations. They had to surpass obstacles to prove there problem, in this case theory. Nicolaus Copernicus had many in obstacles in his life. Nicolaus had great ideas, and the ideas he had, were often conflicted with church laws (Karwatka). Also his books were not widely distributed and information did not travel quickly (Karwatka). Nicolaus had not listen to Ptolemaic and Aristotle’s Geocentricism theory (Eyres). He had no telescope because they weren’t invented, so he had to observe the sky with unaided eyes (Karwatka). This made it a lot tougher for him to prove these philosophers wrong. Nicolaus had to persuade the world that, we were in a heliocentric universe. Another scientist Brahe didn’t believe his theory of heliocentric universe as well (O’Connor).  Other than scientists, people challenged him. The heavens challenge the astronomer, Copernicus noted in the opening paragraph of his brief sketch to the disparate motions of the divine bodies (Sobel). Despite the conflicts with the church laws and the theory of geocentric, Nicolaus proved to be right. Because of his ideas we can expand and learn more about the universe.

Historical Significance

 Astronomers all over the world have become famous for their work. Their work changed the way we view the universe, and changed astronomy forever. Nicolaus Copernicus is an astronomer who has changed the way we view this universe. It was Copernicus’s oberservation of the lunar occultation of the bright star Aldebran with his teacher Dominico Maria Novara in Bologna in March, 1497 that eventually led to rejection of Ptolemaic and Aristotle geocentrism. Copernicus started by revisiting the astronomical observation and celebration made by Ptolemy of Alexandria. He began from a position of a great respect towards the ancient author who he would position he would end up subverting (Eyres). Copernicus used three measuring devices to determine planetary position (Karwatka). He didn’t have a lot to work with. Copernicus was limited with not many devices.  Nicolaus was the founder of Modern Astronomy. He discovers that the sun and other planets didn’t revolve around the earth. He thought it was vice versed. First great discovery was general diurnal movement. The start and all the celestial bodies appear to the carried. Completely round heavens once every 24 hours (Ball). The earth does a full rotation in 24 hours. Copernicus became so convinced that the sun was at the center of the solar system (Karwatka). In 1509 Copernicus published a work which was properly printed, giving Latin translation of Greek poetry by the obscure poet Theophylactus Simocattes (O’Connor). He published tons of books. He liked to write. Around 1514 he distributed a little book, not printed but hand written, to a few of his friends who knew that he was the author even though no author named on the title page. This book, usually called the //Little Commentary//, set out Copernicus’s theory of universe with the sun at its center (O’Connor). A full account of Copernicus’s theory was apparently slow to reach a state in which he wished to see it published, and this did not happen until the very end of Copernicus life’s work under the title De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (Nuremberg,1543) (O’Connor).  In conclusion, Nicolaus Copernicus changed this world historically. Without him we’d still think of the world as the center of the universe. Because of his actions of rejecting Aristotle’s theory, it has inspired many scientist and astronomers to stand up for themselves. Nicolaus Copernicus is one of the greatest astronomers to walk the earth.



References Ball, Sir Robert Stawell. "Revolution Of Astronomy By Copernicus." //History of the World//. Bureau of Electronic Publishing, 1992. n.pag. //eLibrary//. Web. 18 Sep. 2014. (Source Evaluation #1) Eyres,Harry .."Celestial observation." FT.com.06Jun.2014:n/a. eLibrary. Web. 19 Nov.2014.(Source Evaluation #5) Eyres, Harry. "Celestial observations ; The Slow Lane." //Financial Times; London//. 07 Jun. 2014: 22. //eLibrary//. Web. 03 Oct. 2014.(Source Evaluation #2) Karwatka, Dennis. "Nicholas Copernicus and the Sun-Centered Solar System." //Tech Directions//. 01 Mar. 2009: 12. //eLibrary//. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.(Source Evaluation #3) O'Connor, J.J, and E.F Robertson. "Nicolaus Copernicus." //Copernicus Biography//. 1 Aug. 2005. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.(Source Evaluation #4) Sobel, Dava."Copernicus: the man who changed the world." //FT.com//. 02 Sep. 2011: n/a. //eLibrary//. Web. 01 Dec.2014.(Source Evaluation #6)

Quotes: Briany Quotes