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Author photo. Portrait by Torun, early 16th Century (Wikimedia Commons)

Portrait by Torun, early 16th Century (Wikimedia Commons)

Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543)

Author of Britannica Great Books: Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler

Includes the names: Nicolas Copernic, Nicolau Copernic, NICOLAS COPERNICO, Nicolas Copernico, Niccolò Copernico, Nicolaus Copernikus, Nicolaus Kopernikus, Nicolaus Copernicus, Nicholas Copernicus, Nicolaus Copernicus ... (see complete list), Nicolás Copérnico, $d 1473-1543 Nicolaus Copernicus

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Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland, the son of a German mother and Slavic father. Like Tycho Brahe, he was raised by his uncle-the bishop of Ermeland. Copernicus was not trained as a scientist, nor was his job an officially scientific one. He studied mathematics, optics, and medicine at the University of Krakow and canon law at the University of Bologna in Italy. Copernicus received a degree from the University of Ferrara in 1506 and returned to Poland when his uncle presented him with the canonry of the cathedral at Frauenberg, East Prussia (now part of Poland). As canon of Frauenberg, Copernicus developed a routine in which he divided his "working" day into thirds. One-third was devoted to religious duties, another third was for providing charity to the sick in need of medical attention, and the final third was devoted to his hobby---the study of astronomy and philosophical meditation. Copernicus's life was devoted to understanding planetary motion. He became famous for proposing that the sun rather than earth was the center of the solar system. A preliminary version of this theory was circulated privately in 1514. However, the first publication of this radical idea, De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres), was not published until 1543, the year of his death. Copernicus's theory finally was accepted nearly 100 years later, when measurements and analyses by Johannes Kepler, Brahe, Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, and others permitted detailed, quantitative comparisons between predictions of the Copernican model and observation of planetary positions. he acceptance of a heliocentric solar system proposed by Copernicus represents the most fundamental change in our conception of the solar system. Because of Copernicus's leading role in this changing perspective, astronomers refer to this period as the Copernican Revolution. (Bowker Author Biography) — biography from On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres… (more)
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Works by Nicolaus Copernicus
Britannica Great Books: Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler (Contributor) 429 copies, 2 reviews
On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres 380 copies, 6 reviews
Three Copernican Treatises 43 copies
Minor Works (Foundations of Natural History) 8 copies
Opusculos Sobre El Movimiento De La Tierra / Opuscule about The movement… 8 copies
Sobre las revoluciones: (de las orbes celestes) (Clásicos -… 5 copies
Sobre las Revoluciones de los Orbes Celestes 4 copies, 1 review
De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium: Copernicus: On The Revolutions Of The… 3 copies
De revolutionibus orbium coelestium / Des révolutions des orbes célestes… 3 copies
Erster Entwurf seines Weltsystems : sowie eine Auseinandersetzung Johannes… 3 copies
Das neue Weltbild: Drei Texte : Lateinisch-Deutsch (Philosophische… 3 copies
La struttura del cosmo 2 copies
Astronomia Instaurata, Libris VI Comprehense, Qui de Revolutionibus Orbium… 2 copies
Revoluciones de las órbitas celestes Tomo III 2 copies
Revoluciones de las órbitas celestes Tomo II 2 copies
Commentariolus (Latin Edition) 2 copies
REVOLUTIONIBUS Easton Press 2 copies
Gokcisimlerinin Dongusu Uzerine 2 copies
Nicolai Copernici Torinensis De revolvtionibvs orbium cœlestium, libri… 2 copies
Das neue Weltbild. Drei Texte. Commentariolus /Brief gegen Werner /De… 2 copies
De Revolutionibus : Faksimile des Manuskriptes 2 copies
Opere 2 copies
On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres (bound w/ johannes kepler and… 1 copy
Nicholas Copernicus On the Revolutions 1 copy
Nicolai Copernici De Revolutionibus Libri Sex 1 copy
Goksel Kurelerin Devinimleri Uzerine - Hasan Ali Yucel Klasikleri 1 copy
De Revolvtionibvus Orbivm Caelestivm Libri Vi... 1 copy
La struttura del cosmo 1 copy
Nikolaus Kopernikus zum 400. Todestag am 24. Mai 1943 (Honoree) 1 copy
EL RENOVADOR INVOLUNTARIO : NICOLAS COPERNICO 1 copy
©ber die Umschw©ơnge der himmlischen Kreise 1 copy
Sur les révolutions des orbes célestes 1 copy
De revolutionibus orbium coelestium {1543} 1 copy
De revolutionibus orbium coelestium / Des révolutions des orbes célestes… 1 copy
De les revolucions dels orbes celestes 1 copy
No Borderline 1 copy
Über die Kreisbewungen der Weltkörper: De Revolutionibus Orbium… 1 copy
Nicolaus Coppernicus aus Thorn über die Kreisbewegungen der Weltkörper.… 1 copy
Las Revoluciones de las esferas celestes. Libro primero 1 copy
3.3: De revolutionibus: die erste deutsche Übersetzung in der Grazer… (Author) 1 copy
Göksel Kürelerin Devinimleri Üzerine - Hasan Ali Yücel Klasikleri 1 copy
De revolutionibus : die erste deutsche Übersetzung in der Grazer… (Author) 1 copy
De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium Libri Sex: (Editio Basileensis) cum… 1 copy, 1 review
Complete Works Vol. 1: On the Revolutions, The Manuscript of Nicholas… 1 copy
De rivolutionibus orbium caelestium (testo a fronte) 1 copy
Ziemia Kaszubska : mapa turystyczna : skala 1:100 000 1 copy
De revolutionibus orbium caelestium 1 copy
Opere (Author) 1 copy
Nicolai Copernici Torinensis De revolutionibus orbium cœlestium,… 1 copy
De reuolutionibus orbium coelestium libri VI : in quibus stellarum et… 1 copy
Great Books, Vol. 16, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres 1 copy
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Also by Nicolaus Copernicus
On The Shoulders Of Giants (Contributor) 1,117 copies, 7 reviews
Prefaces and Prologues to Famous Books (Contributor) 490 copies, 1 review
The Scientific Background to Modern Philosophy: Selected Readings (Contributor) 142 copies
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Common Knowledge
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Canonical name
Legal name
Other names
Koppernigk, Niclas
Коперник, Николай
Date of birth
1473-02-19
Date of death
1543-05-24
Burial location
Cathedral of Frauenburg (probable)
Gender
male
Nationality
Poland
Country (for map)
Birthplace
Place of death
Cause of death
Places of residence
Royal Prussia, Poland (birth)
Frombork, Poland (on the shore of the Baltic Sea | death)
Torun, Poland (birth)
Krakow, Poland
Bologna, Italy
Education
Krakow Academy
University of Bologna
University of Padua (medicine)
University of Ferrara (canon law)
Occupations
mathematician
astronomer
cleric
canon (of Frombork)
Relationships
Agents
Organizations
Awards and honors
A number of things are named for him including craters on both the moon and Mars.
Short biography
Copernicus was apparently fluent in several languages but his written communications were mostly in Latin.
He studied law and medicine at Bologna and Padua and received his doctorate of canon law in Ferrara. However, mathematics and astronomy were always a great interest to him and his achievements in the field of observational and mathematical astronomy are the accomplishments for which Copernicus is remembered today.
Disambiguation notice

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