Copernicus is said to be the founder of modern astronomy. His investigations were carried on quietly and alone, without help or consultation.
He made his celestial observations from a turret situated on the protective wall around a cathedral. His observations were with just his eyes, as a hundred more years were to pass before the invention of the telescope.
In 1543, Copernicus published a book about a new idea he had. Most people in his day thought that the Earth was at the centre of the Universe. They thought that the stars were little holes in a glass ball that surrounded the Earth. But, Copernicus disagreed. According to him, the Universe is not centred around the Earth, but that the Earth is actually a planet circling the Sun. Not many people liked his book or his ideas, for they went against the philosophical & religious beliefs that had been held during the medieval times. Copernicus died in 1543, and was never to know what a stir his work had caused. Of course, we know today that Copernicus was right!
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
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