The main work of Nicolaus Copernicus is called. Biography of Nicolaus Copernicus. Return to homeland, service with the bishop

(1473-1543) Polish astronomer

Nicolaus Copernicus was born in the Polish city of Toruń into the family of a merchant who came from Germany. He was orphaned at an early age and raised in the house of his uncle, the famous Polish humanist Bishop Lukasz Wachenrode. In 1490, he graduated from the University of Krakow and became a canon of the cathedral in Frombork, a fishing town at the mouth of the Vistula. He remained in this position (with interruptions) until the end of his life.

In 1496, Copernicus went on a long journey to Italy. He first studied at the University of Bologna, where he became a Master of Arts and also studied ecclesiastical law. It was in Bologna that he developed an interest in astronomy, which determined his scientific destiny.

He then returned to Poland for a short time, but soon returned to Italy, where he studied medicine at the University of Padua and received a doctorate in theology from the University of Ferrara. Nicolaus Copernicus returned to his homeland in 1503 as a comprehensively educated man. He settled first in the city of Lidzbark, where he served as a secretary and doctor for his uncle, and after his death he moved to Frombork, where he lived until the end of his life.

Nicolaus Copernicus was an amazingly versatile scientist. Simultaneously with his studies in astronomy, he was engaged in translations of works of Byzantine authors, as well as medicine, earning a reputation as a wonderful doctor. Copernicus treated the poor for free: day and night he was ready to rush to the aid of the sick. In addition, he participated in the management of the region and was in charge of its financial and economic affairs. But most of all he was interested in astronomy, which he presented somewhat differently than was customary.

By that time, the system of the world structure proposed by the ancient Greek scientist Claudius Ptolemy had existed for almost one and a half millennia. It consisted in the fact that the Earth rests motionless in the center of the Universe, and the Sun and other planets revolve around it. Ptolemy's theory did not explain many phenomena well known to astronomers, in particular the loop-like movement of planets across the visible sky. Nevertheless, its provisions were considered unshakable, since they were in good agreement with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Long before Copernicus, the ancient Greek scientist Aristarchus argued that the Earth moves around the Sun. But he could not yet experimentally confirm his teaching.

Observing the movement of celestial bodies, Nicolaus Copernicus came to the conclusion that Ptolemy’s theory was incorrect. After thirty years of hard work, long observations and complex mathematical calculations, he convincingly proved that the Earth is only one of the planets and that all planets revolve around the Sun. True, Copernicus still believed that the stars are motionless and are located on the surface of a huge sphere, at a great distance from the Earth. This was due to the fact that at that time there were no such powerful telescopes with which one could observe the sky and stars.

Having discovered that the Earth and the planets are satellites of the Sun, Nicolaus Copernicus was able to explain the apparent movement of the Sun across the sky, the strange entanglement in the movement of some planets, as well as the apparent rotation of the sky. He believed that we perceive the movement of celestial bodies in the same way as the movement of various objects on Earth when we ourselves are in motion. When we are sailing in a boat on the surface of a river, it seems that the boat and we are motionless in it, and the banks are floating in the opposite direction. In the same way, to an observer on Earth, it seems that the Earth is motionless, and the Sun is moving around it. In fact, it is the Earth that moves around the Sun and makes a full revolution in its orbit during the year.

Sometime between 1510 and 1514, Nicolaus Copernicus wrote a short message in which he first informed scientists of his discovery. It created the impression of a bomb exploding and became the cause of misfortune not only for its author, but also for his followers. To accept such a theory meant destroying the authority of the church, since this concept refuted the theory of the divine origin of the Universe.

Copernicus's theory was fully expounded in his work “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres.” The author did not live to see this book spread throughout the world. He was dying when friends brought him the first copy of his book, printed in one of the Nuremberg printing houses. His book aroused interest among progressive-minded scientists.

Church leaders did not immediately understand the blow to religion that Copernicus’ book dealt. For some time his work was freely distributed among scientists. Only when Nicolaus Copernicus had followers was his teaching declared heresy, and the book included in the “Index of Prohibited Books.” Only in 1835 did the Pope exclude the book of Copernicus from this index and thereby, as it were, acknowledge the existence of his teaching in the eyes of the church.

In 1600, the Italian scientist Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake for promoting the views of Copernicus. But this could not stop the development of science.

Soon after the death of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei established that the Sun also rotates around its axis, which confirmed the correctness of the Polish scientist’s conclusions.

It is obvious that the patterns discovered by Copernicus contributed to the further development of astronomy, in which more and more new discoveries are still being made.

It is impossible to say for sure who Copernicus is. It is believed that he is a theorist, astronomer, mathematician, mechanic, economist, canon, humanist, who lived from 1473 to 1543. He is the supposed creator of the modern theory of planetary structure, according to which the Sun is at the center. However, information about his life and work is very contradictory, which does not allow us to unambiguously answer the question: “Who is Copernicus?” There is a high probability that it was a dummy. The name Copernicus could also refer to a whole group of innovators in the field of astronomy who were hiding from persecution. However, we will present the official biography of this scientist. You will find out who Copernicus is, according to the most common version. Sometimes there are several popular versions, and then we will present them all.

Date of birth, origin of Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus, according to Polish historians of the 19th century, was born in 1473, on February 2. This event took place in the Prussian city of Torn (modern Toruń, Poland). According to astrological calculations by the teacher of Galileo and Kepler (M. Maestlin), he was born at 4:48 am. pm February 19, 1473. It is this date that is repeated by most scientific sources of our time.

The father of the future scientist is his namesake. There are many versions of who Copernicus the Elder was and what he did. He was either a merchant, a peasant, a doctor, a brewer, or a baker. This man came from Krakow to Toruń around 1460. In Toruń, Nikolai's father became a respected man. He served for many years as an elected city judge. In addition, he was the bearer of the honorary title of “brother tertiary” (a lay assistant to the monks belonging to this order).

What does the name Copernicus mean?

It is impossible to say exactly what the surname Copernicus means, but historians believe that distant ancestors in the family of Nicholas were copper traders (copper in Latin is “cuprum”). Another version is that the surname comes from the names of villages in Silesia that have the same name. Presumably they got their name from the dill that grew in the area (in Polish, dill is "koper"). However, the exact location of these villages is unknown. Polish historians first discovered this surname in Krakow documents dating back to 1367. It is known that later its bearers were artisans of various professions, including coppersmiths, stonemasons, gunsmiths, bathhouse attendants, and watchmen.

The fate of Nikolai's relatives

Nicolaus Copernicus Sr. married Varvara Watzenrode, daughter of the chairman of the court, in Toruń. It is believed that the wedding took place before 1463. Four children were born into the family. Nikolai was the youngest of them.

In Poland, even today they indicate the house where Nicolaus Copernicus was allegedly born, whose biography interests us. This building, shown in the photo below, became an object of pilgrimage for many Poles at the end of the 18th century. Its plaster and bricks are national relics that are kept in museums.

The children in the Copernicus family studied in their hometown, where they received a good education. Andrei, the elder brother, born around 1464, accompanied Nicholas everywhere almost until his death (he died in 1518 or 1519). He helped him in his studies and religious career. In 1512, Andrei fell ill with leprosy, and A. Copernicus died a few years later. Let's briefly talk about the fate of our hero's sisters. The first, Varvara, was tonsured a monk in Kulm. She died around 1517. And Catherine went to Krakow with her husband, merchant Bartholomew Gertner. After this, her traces are lost. What about our hero, Nicolaus Copernicus? His biography and discoveries are worthy of detailed study. First we will talk about the life path of Nicolaus Copernicus, and then about his achievements.

Death of parents, care of uncle

In 1483, Nicholas's father died from a transient illness (presumably the plague). The mother died in 1489. After her death, Luka Watzenrode, her mother’s brother (pictured below), took care of the family. He was a canon of the local diocese, and after some time became its bishop. This man was educated for that time. He was a master of Krakow and also a doctor at another university - Bologna.

Training of brothers Nikolai and Andrey

Soon Andrei and Nicolaus Copernicus followed in the footsteps of their uncle. The biography of our hero continues with a long period of training. After graduating from the city school (around 1491), the brothers went to the Jagiellonian University. Nikolai and Andrey chose the Faculty of Liberal Arts. In this educational institution they became familiar with the humanism that was spreading at that time. The university supposedly even preserved a certificate indicating payment for tuition (for 1491) by Nicolaus Copernicus. After studying Latin, astronomy, mathematics and other sciences for 3 years, the brothers decided to leave Krakow without receiving a diploma. Perhaps they made this decision because the scholastic party, whose representatives belonged to the Hungarian community, won at the university in 1494.

Brothers are chosen to become canons

Andrei and Nikolai intended to continue their studies in Italy. However, my uncle, who by this time had become the Bishop of Ermeland, did not have extra funds for this. He advised his nephews to take the places of canons (members of the government chapter) in the diocese subordinate to him in order to receive the salary necessary for long travel and study abroad. However, this plan was not implemented immediately - it was prevented by the brothers’ lack of diplomas. Even strong protection did not help. Nevertheless, the brothers nevertheless went to study as lawyers at the University of Bologna in 1496. They were elected in absentia to the positions of canons in 1487, with the provision of a salary, as well as a 3-year leave to continue their education.

Continuation of studies at the University of Bologna

The scientist Nicolaus Copernicus studied not only law, but also astronomy. His biography of this time is marked by his acquaintance with Dominic Maria di Navar. This is a teacher at the University of Bologna, a famous astrologer of that time. Copernicus, whose biography can only be reconstructed on the basis of indirect sources, in his future book allegedly mentions the astronomical observations that he jointly carried out with his teacher. At the University of Bologna, Nicholas also learned Greek, which was quite popular among humanists, but aroused suspicion of heresy from Catholic scholastics. In addition, he fell in love with painting - a painting has been preserved, which is considered a copy of a self-portrait made by Copernicus.

Lectures in Rome, studying medicine

The brothers studied in Bologna for 3 years, again without receiving a diploma. According to historians, for a short time Nicholas worked as a mathematics teacher in Rome, at the same time giving astronomical lectures to Alexander VI Borgia, the Pope, as well as Italian scientists. However, there is no evidence for this opinion.

In 1501, the brothers returned for a short time to Frauenburg, to their place of service. They wanted to ask for a deferment to continue their studies. Having received it, the brothers went to study medicine at the University of Padua. They remained here until 1506 and again did not receive a diploma. However, in 1503, the brothers passed external examinations at the University of Ferrara and became doctors of law.

Return to homeland, service with the bishop

The Copernicians returned to their homeland in 1506 after completing their studies. By this time Nikolai was already 33 years old, and Andrei was 42. At that time, receiving diplomas at this age was considered normal. Moreover, many scientists recognized in the scientific community (for example, G. Gallileo) did not have diplomas. This did not prevent all of them from receiving professorships.

Nicolaus Copernicus, after a year of service as a canon in Frombork, became an adviser to the bishop (his uncle), and then the chancellor of the diocese. He helped his relative fight the Teutonic Order, which was headed in 1511 by Albrecht von Hohenzollern, his future renegade. Nicholas also helped in negotiating with Sigismund I, the Polish king, who was Albrecht's uncle. It is believed that Luka Watzelrode wanted to make Nicholas his successor. However, he did not have sufficient activity and ambition for this kind of activity.

Moving to Fraenburg

Copernicus began to create an astronomical theory at this time. In February 1512, Bishop Luke Watzelrode died. From this time on, the Copernican sinecure ends. The bishop's chair is occupied by Fabian Losainen, a classmate of the brothers at the University of Bologna. Nikolai has to leave Lidzbarg. N. Copernicus returns to Frauenburg, where he becomes a canon of the cathedral. Tiedemann Giese, his supporter and friend, becomes chancellor of the diocese. However, Nikolai’s duties do not yet burden him much. He was in charge of economic affairs and tax collection. Around this time, his brother Andrei falls ill with leprosy and decides to leave for Italy.

Copernicus becomes famous

Copernicus continues his studies in astronomy. The scientist allegedly gained fame in this field at the end of the 15th century. His lectures became very popular, they were attended by Alexander VI Borgia, as well as Nicholas da Vinci. Historians note that Pope Leo X in 1514 asked the scientist what he thought about calendar reform. Nicolaus Copernicus expressed his opinion in a letter to Paul of Middelburg, the papal curator of the matter. He advised to postpone this idea for a while, until he completed the creation of his theory (on which, by the way, Copernicus worked for 30 years). However, no written evidence has been found to prove this.

Nicolaus Copernicus was elected in the fall of 1516 to replace Tiedemann Giese. He becomes the manager of the southern possessions belonging to the Warmia diocese. And from that time on Giese held the position of bishop of Kulm. Due to his new appointment, Copernicus moved to Olsztyn for 4 years. Here he is forced to take up military craft - the troops of the Teutonic Order attack Warmia and capture part of it. And one day they even besieged the residence of Copernicus himself. Nicholas returns to Frombork in 1521, after peace was concluded with the Teutonic Order.

First treatise, proposals for monetary reform

It is believed that it was then that he created his first treatise called “Small Commentary”. This essay made his theory known in a narrow circle. Copernicus's proposals for monetary reform in Prussia date back to 1528. It was then that he presented them at the Elbląg Sejm.

The charge brought against Copernicus

After the death of Ferber in 1537, Johann Dantiscus, a former humanist and epicurean, became the bishop of Warmia. Subsequently, he became a hypocrite and a retrograde, and it was thanks to this that he made a religious career. Copernicus' reign brought a lot of grief and trouble. The dentist allegedly accused Nicholas of immoral cohabitation with Anna Schilling, a married housekeeper. The woman was allegedly forbidden by a special decree from the bishop to appear in Frombork, since this dangerous person had seduced the “venerable astronomer.”

Last years of life, death

I. Rheticus came to Copernicus in 1539 to study his theory. After some time, he published a book where a new theory was presented, and then published a book by his teacher.

Copernicus died on May 24, 1543. Death occurred after a stroke and the resulting paralysis of the right half of the body. In 1655, Pierre Gassendi wrote a biography, according to which his friends placed the original of his book into the cold hands of Copernicus. Nicholas, according to modern historians, was buried in Frombork Cathedral (his photo is presented above). In 1581, a portrait was installed opposite his grave, and near the cathedral there is a monument to Nicholas.

Acts of Nicholas

N. Copernicus is known primarily as the creator of the heliocentric theory. However, he is also credited with many other activities typical of gifted and highly educated humanists of the time. Let us briefly describe the main discoveries of Copernicus.

Translation from Greek

In 1509, Nicholas, who was fluent in Greek, translated a work from the 6th or 7th century into Latin. BC e. "Moral, rural and love letters of Theophylact Simocatta, scholasticism." It is believed that the creator of this work was the last historian who belongs to the ancient tradition. Unfortunately, it is not known whether this translation was published, but its text is known. It is interesting that historians report that this correspondence with historical and mythical figures is filled with anachronisms and does not represent anything outstanding. However, for some reason, even the “boring” “rubbish” delighted Copernicus and inspired Nicholas to translate. He dedicated his work to his uncle. In addition, the heirs of Nicholas's cause published other works of Theophylact Scholasticus.

Cartography classes

And in this area Copernicus left his mark. He created a map of Prussia, which, unfortunately, has not survived. Using a self-made parallactic ruler made from fir cones, Nikolai determined the latitude of Frauenburg with an accuracy of 3". These sticks, called "triquetra", are today in the University of Krakow. According to historians, at the end of the 16th century this precious relic was found by John Hanovius , Bishop of Warmia, gave Tycho to Brahe through Elias Olai Cimber, a student of the latter.

Other activities of Copernicus

During the period of control of the lands of Warmia (from 1516 to 1520), Nicolaus Copernicus mastered the craft of a commander, military engineer and administrator. His involvement in public finance dates back to the late 1520s. In addition, they write that Nikolai was a famous doctor who treated artisans and peasants for free. Copernicus' discoveries allegedly even included his invention of the sandwich.

"Small comment"

Three essays present the astronomical works of Nicolaus Copernicus. Two of them were published only in the 19th century. The first essay is “Small Commentary,” which briefly outlines Nicholas’s theory. A copy of this manuscript was found in the Vienna Court Library in 1877 or 1878. And a few years later, in 1881, the same notebook with notes from Copernicus himself was discovered. It consists of 16 sheets and was found at Uppsala University, in its library. However, it is sometimes reported that it was discovered in Stockholm.

"The Epistle of Copernicus against Werner" and "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres"

"The Epistle of Copernicus against Werner" is the second most recent work of Nicholas on astronomy. This is his letter to Bernard Wapowski, rector of the Krakow Cathedral. The work is doubly interesting, since it presents the author’s chronological reasoning, which is based on an analysis of the precession of stars in accordance with medieval and ancient sources. In 1543, Copernicus's main book, On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, was published. The place of publication of this work is either Regensburg or Nuremberg. It contains the results of the author's observations, as well as a catalog of 1025 stars, compiled by him personally.

Copernican theory

The ideas of this scientist were very bold for their time. The world of Copernicus was radically different from the generally accepted views of his predecessors and contemporaries. Nicholas discarded the geocentric one that Ptolemy created. This was a bold move at the time, as the model was rarely questioned. She was supported by the very influential Catholic Church at that time. According to it, the center of the universe is the Earth, and the Sun, the sphere of fixed stars and all the planets revolve around it. The heliocentric system of Copernicus radically diverged from this idea. The scientist believed that the Earth, like other planets, moves around the Sun. Nikolai noted that the movement of the sky that we observe during the day is a consequence of the movement of our planet around its axis. Copernicus' discoveries were presented in his work “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres,” which was published in the year of his death. The book was banned by the Catholic Church in 1616. Nevertheless, new ideas steadily made their way. The discovery made by Nikolai gave a powerful impetus to natural science. Many scientists subsequently turned to him.

So, we have outlined the biography and discoveries of Nicolaus Copernicus briefly. As you understand, there is only a certain degree of probability that certain facts from his life are true. Reconstructing the biography of people who lived long before us is always difficult. However, we have tried to present the most probable information about such a person as Copernicus. His biography and his discoveries are still the subject of study by historians. Perhaps after some time they will be able to obtain more accurate information.

The scientist who revealed to the world the true interaction of celestial bodies with each other was born at the end of the 15th century. Despite the ban on his works for inconsistency with the religious beliefs of his time, the scientist’s works were not lost. The great discoveries of Copernicus are the basis of school teachings and ideas about many areas of human life.

Copernicus made his discoveries not only in astronomy; they also affected physics, economics, mathematics, the laws of mechanics and medicine, contributing to more than one scientific revolution.

Youth

The future outstanding scientist was born in Poland, in 1473 in Toruń. Born in February, the boy was the fourth child in the family and received the name Nicholas, the same name as Copernicus’s father. Despite her Polish origin, Nikolai's mother was born German. The boy's father was a merchant, which allowed the child to receive a good education.

Until the age of ten, the Copernicus family lived quietly, but the outbreak of the plague not only claimed thousands of other people’s lives, it also affected Copernicus the Elder. The head of the family died, leaving the boy's mother as his successor. In 1489, the mother of the family also died. Then Nikolai’s uncle, the mother’s brother, takes responsibility for the children.

As a local bishop, Lukasz Watzenrode was known as a man endowed with the gift of diplomacy, an educated and well-read person. An intelligent relative, with a cool disposition and love for his younger nephew, became a real father for Nikolai. Seeing his successor in his nephew, Lukash gave the boy a good upbringing along with education.

Education

The young man graduated from school at the age of fifteen. The next stage of his education took place at the Włocławsk school. Thanks to an interesting teacher, the young student became interested in astronomy.
At the age of eighteen, the young man comes to Krakow, under the protection of his uncle, taking his brother with him. Having entered the Jagiellonian University, famous for its excellent educational programs, both brothers entered the Faculty of Arts. Thanks to the atmosphere around him, Copernicus developed critical thinking and thoroughly mastered the sciences he taught. His passion for astronomy moved to a deeper level.
After graduating from university at twenty-four, Nikolai and his brother went to work in their uncle’s diocese as canons. In this way, the bishop accustoms young people to the idea that they need to earn money themselves to further study abroad.
After two years of working as a canon, Copernicus goes to Italy, where he intends to continue his studies. Lukash makes sure that his nephew receives a vacation for a period of three years and a salary.
Having entered the University of Bologna, the student chooses to study at a law school. There he mastered Greek and continued to study astronomy. In addition to his passion for painting, studying abroad brings the guy an acquaintance with the scientist who revived European mathematics.
During his stay in Italy, Copernicus makes a joint discovery with the professor, which speaks of the equal distance to the Moon in quadrature, regardless of the full moon or new moon. This is how Nicholas first begins to doubt the veracity of Ptolemy’s statements.
Three years later, Copernicus returns to Poland. Just like after his first education, he remains without a scientific degree. Returning to their place of duty, the brothers ask for an additional delay in order to complete their education. Having received consent, in 1503 Nicholas received the degree of Doctor of Canon Law. Having undergone medical training during this time, Copernicus remained in Italy and practiced medicine.

Merits in science

After three years of medical practice, Copernicus travels to his homeland, where he works for his uncle as both a confidant and a physician. After the bishop's death, the nephew moves to a small town, where he continues to work in the church and conduct scientific observations.

Having built an observatory in the tower of the fortress, the astronomer continues his work alone, without accepting help. By the thirtieth year of the 16th century, Copernicus completed his work, determining that the Earth rotates around the sun in a year, and around its axis in a day.

Being a fantastic idea, this idea spread the news of the astronomer throughout Europe. There was no negative response to the bold idea. However, the scientist did not rush to publish the book, hoping to double-check his ideas and observations. The verification took about forty years, and in 1543 the master’s greatest work was published. At this time, Copernicus could no longer rejoice at the news, because he was in a coma.

Death of a Scientist

Nicolaus Copernicus died after two months in a coma. The scientist's death occurred in the spring of 1543 due to a stroke.

Until 2005, Copernicus' grave was unknown. The remains of the greatest astronomer were found by chance, as a result of excavations carried out by archaeologists. Their authenticity was established by DNA testing. Five years later, the remains of Copernicus buried in Frombork Cathedral.

Nicolaus Copernicus was able to freeze and set in motion in the minds of his contemporaries. The researcher revolutionized ideas about the structure of the Universe. Biography, main ideas and influence of the scientist’s discoveries on today’s science, interesting facts about Copernicus - for your information.

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short biography

Little Nikolai was born on February 19 in the city of Torne, which is now called Toruń and is located in Poland. The question of which country the scientist was born in, Prussia or Poland, causes controversy among researchers. The fact is that the borders of these states were constantly changing.

Childhood and youth

The future researcher was the fourth child in a wealthy merchant family. He was very friendly with his older brother Andrzej. Subsequently, while receiving an education, young people will visit half of the best universities in Europe, become colleagues and wonderful friends.

The fate of the future research scientist was influenced by a number of circumstances, the country where Nicolaus Copernicus was born, and the conditions in which he lived. In 1482, the father became a victim of a severe plague epidemic that devastated Europe, and by 1489 the child was left an orphan - his mother died. The family was left without property and means of food. The children were taken in by Lukasz Watzenrode, their maternal uncle.

The guardian was a rather stern man, a priest of the local diocese, but the uncle became very attached to the child and became closely involved in his education. Lukasz had a doctorate in canon law and later received the position of bishop. Brilliant for the time, it allowed him to provide additional training to his nephew in order to prepare him for further studies.

In 1491, Nicholas and his brother Andrzej began their student life at the Jagiellonian University under the patronage of their uncle. The Faculty of Arts of the city of Krakow became the starting point on the path to becoming a researcher. After graduating from university, the young man planned further studies, but Lukasz Watzenrode did not have the money for it.

In 1487, in order to earn money for his education, the young specialist accepted the position of canon in his uncle’s diocese in absentia. He and his brother used the fee they received in advance to study church law. In Bolonia (Italy) in 1496, Nicholas first became acquainted with astronomy, a science that later became his life’s work, thanks to the teacher Domenico Maria Novara.

Attention! The University of Bologna became the site of Nicolaus Copernicus's first decisive step on the path of new discoveries, and 1497 was the year of the first astronomical observation.

The results of the fateful research were the first steps towards the creation of a new system based on the observation of the full and new moon. The young scientist realized that the distance between the natural satellite and the Earth was equal when passing these points, which indicated that the night star was moving in a circle.

Copernicus's scientific activities, hobbies, and research were very diverse. Nikolai was engaged in painting, studied Greek, and studied mathematics. After graduating from the University of Bologna, the young scientist taught exact sciences to the people of the high society of Rome, and helped Pope Alexander VI himself to comprehend astronomy.

Social activity

The year 1506 marked the end of training. At the age of 33, Nikolai received medical, church and theological education and the position of clergyman of Frombork.

1512 turned out to be a year of losses. Brother Andrzej falls ill with leprosy and leaves the city, Lukasz Watzenrode dies, and the scientist becomes a canon of the cathedral of the city of Fraenburg. After 1516, Nicholas received the honorary position of chancellor of the city of Olsztyn. Here he shows himself to be a brilliant military strategist, taking command in the war against the crusaders. The fortress managed to withstand a significant superiority of enemy forces.

By 1521, the scientist returned to serve in the diocese of Frombork. The inventor's talent helped Nikolai build a hydraulic machine that provided water to all the houses in the city.

The scientist also did not abandon his passion for medicine. After retiring from business in 1531 to concentrate on writing the main book, he provided medical care free of charge to everyone in need, and helped many people cope with their ailments. In 1519, the scientist fought the plague epidemic.

Scientific developments

Nicolaus Copernicus was absorbed in his basic ideas and discoveries all his life. He spent 40 years writing the main work of his life, “On the Rotation of Celestial Bodies,” which was invaluable for the development of astronomy. He scrupulously collected information, data from his observations, systematized the information, compiled tables, and made amendments. He completed work on the book 3 years before his death.

The position of canon allowed him to simultaneously engage in scientific research. For astronomical observations, the scientist equipped the tower of the Frombork fortress.

The discoverer of the doctrine of the heliocentric system was lucky not to encounter persecution from adherents of dogmatism. Copernicus's theory became an important step in the history of science, making a real revolution in the best minds of that time. The scientist’s views were very radical for that time, but he lived a fairly calm life.

Important! The doctrine of the movement of celestial bodies was prohibited and declared a heresy only in 1616, long after the death of its author, by which time the theory had already spread widely throughout Europe.

The idea of a heliocentric system was formed by a young scientist closer to 1500. The theory had a lot of supporters. Among like-minded people, the researcher distributed the manuscript Commentariolus, where he outlined the brief essence of his hypothesis.

The scientist died of a stroke in his native Frombork in 1543. In recent months, Copernicus's health has been critical. He suffered paralysis of one half of his body and was in a coma before his death.

The last years of Copernicus' life

Let's list interesting facts about Copernicus

The position of canon, as a church figure, implied a vow of celibacy. Fascinated by science, Nikolai at first did not attach any importance to this. In 1528, being a mature, accomplished man, he unexpectedly fell in love with Anna, the daughter of his friend Matz Schilling from his hometown of Toruń. The girl soon had to leave the scientist due to the discontent of the Church.
The researcher’s grave was considered not found until the rise of genetics and the corresponding examination in 2005. The last refuge was Frombork, which meant a lot to the scientist.
The year 1535 was marked by recognition of the researcher’s work by the church, which was facilitated by the Pope himself. The truths that Copernicus revealed to the world were initially favorably received by the ministers. Afterwards, conservative religious leaders saw the teaching as a threat to existing dogmas.
The meteorite and the element are named after the researcher.
There are museums dedicated to his memory in Torun and Frombork.
Throughout his life, Nicholas was accompanied by a faithful student named Retik, who helped conduct research, published works, and was a good friend.
The discoverer would hardly have seen the first edition of his life’s work, but his friends brought him a printed copy.

Description of the theory

The book “On the Rotation of Celestial Bodies” consists of 6 volumes, where the author described his ideas about the device:

the first is dedicated to proving the spherical shape of the Earth and the Universe;
the second talks about the rules for calculating the location of celestial bodies;
the third part describes the annual cycle of the Earth's movement;
the fourth talks about our planet’s satellite, the Moon;
the fifth tells about the properties of celestial bodies in general;
sixth - about the reasons for changes in latitudes.

Book “On the rotation of celestial bodies”

The main ideas of the heliocentric system can be briefly described by 7 theses:

There is no common center of rotation for all celestial bodies.
The earth is not the center of the world.
The stars are motionless on the surface of the sphere that bounds the Cosmos.
The Earth rotates around its own axis and around the Sun.
The trajectory of movement of celestial bodies is a circle.
The distance between the Sun and the stars is immeasurably greater than the distance of the luminary from the Earth.
The movement of the Sun observed from Earth is a consequence of the rotation of the planet itself.

Later, the teachings of Copernicus were supplemented by Johannes Kepler, who calculated that the trajectory of the movements of celestial bodies is not a circle, but an ellipse. It was also found that stars are not at all devoid of movement.

Attention! Now the main ideas of Nicolaus Copernicus do not look so revolutionary, but for the 16th century they were an important step in the development of astronomy, they changed the ideas of people of that time about the greatness of the world, the mysteries of nature, and the place of man in the Universe. These were important discoveries, given the dominant geocentric theory of the era.

Polish university

Residents of Poland are proud of the achievements of their compatriot who lived 4 centuries ago. There is the Nicolaus Copernicus University in the city of Torun, which trains young scientists. The educational institution was created in 1945 and ranks fifth in prestige among other universities in Poland. University classrooms are equipped with the latest technology. The university opened its doors to future doctors, chemists, biologists, physicists, astronomers, mathematicians and artists.

Nicolaus Copernicus Biography

Nicolaus Copernicus and heliocentrism

Conclusion

Any educated person knows perfectly well who Copernicus is. The scientist lived a long life, managed to change the worldview of people on the planet, and made an invaluable contribution to astronomy. His revolutionary discoveries became the basis for the development of modern science. Nicolaus Copernicus lived a long life and left an indelible memory of himself.

Nicolaus Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473 in the Polish city of Torun, his father was a merchant who came from Germany. The future scientist was orphaned early; he was raised in the house of his uncle, bishop and famous Polish humanist Lukasz Wachenrode.

In 1490, Copernicus graduated from the University of Krakow, after which he became a canon of the cathedral in the fishing town of Frombork. In 1496 he went on a long journey through Italy. Copernicus studied at the universities of Bologna, Ferrara and Padua, studied medicine and church law, and became a Master of Arts. In Bologna, the young scientist became interested in astronomy, which determined his fate.

In 1503, Nicolaus Copernicus returned to his homeland as a fully educated man; he first settled in Lidzbark, where he served as his uncle's secretary. After the death of his uncle, Copernicus moved to Frombork, where he carried out research until the end of his life.

Social activity

Nicolaus Copernicus took an active part in governing the region in which he lived. He was in charge of economic and financial affairs and fought for its independence. Among his contemporaries, Copernicus was known as a statesman, a talented doctor and an expert in astronomy.

When the Lutheran Council organized a commission to reform the calendar, Copernicus was invited to Rome. The scientist proved the prematureness of such a reform, since at that time the length of the year was not yet known exactly.

Astronomical observations and heliocentric theory

The creation of the heliocentric system was the result of many years of work by Nicolaus Copernicus. For about one and a half millennia, there was a system of world structure proposed by the ancient Greek scientist Claudius Ptolemy. It was believed that the Earth was at the center of the Universe, and the other planets and the Sun revolved around it. This theory could not explain many of the phenomena that astronomers observed, but it agreed well with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Copernicus observed the movement of celestial bodies and came to the conclusion that the Ptolemaic theory was incorrect. In order to prove that all the planets revolve around the Sun, and the Earth is only one of them, Copernicus carried out complex mathematical calculations and spent more than 30 years of hard work. Although the scientist mistakenly believed that all the stars were stationary and located on the surface of a huge sphere, he was able to explain the apparent movement of the Sun and the rotation of the firmament.

The results of the observations were summarized in the work of Nicolaus Copernicus “On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres,” published in 1543. In it he developed new philosophical ideas and focused on improving the mathematical theory that described the movement of celestial bodies. The revolutionary nature of the scientist’s views was recognized by the Catholic Church later, when in 1616 his work was included in the “Index of Prohibited Books.”