What is Nicolaus Copernicus famous for? Copernicus, Nicholas

According to a brief biography of Copernicus, he was born in the Polish city of Turon in 1473. It is interesting that this city became Polish only a few years before his birth, and earlier it was a Prussian city, which was controlled by the Teutonic Knights. Copernicus early lost both parents, who belonged to the merchant class, and began to live in a family of close relatives of his mother.

In 1491, at the urging of his uncle, Copernicus entered the University of Krakow. There he studied theology, medicine, mathematics and was fond of astronomy. After graduating from an educational institution, he began to build a spiritual career (his uncle had become a bishop by that time).

In 1497 he went to the University of Bologna, where he deepened his knowledge of theology and law, and also continued to study astronomy. In 1500 he went to Rome, and then to Padua, where he continued his study of medicine at the local university.

The beginning of a spiritual career and astronomical research

In 1506, Copernicus returned to his homeland and became the personal assistant and secretary of his uncle, the bishop. In addition, he began teaching at the University of Krakow, teaching a course on medicine and astronomy (he continued astronomical observations when he returned home).

In 1512 (after the death of his uncle) he went to Frombock, where he was a canon, began to work in the parish, and astronomy became something of a hobby. It was at this time that he began to create the heliocentric system of the world, which became the work of his whole life.

He worked on a global astronomical work for more than 40 years, rumors about him and his research quickly spread. There is an opinion that Pope Leo X himself drew attention to him. But Copernicus was not attracted by fame (as is usually said in his biography written for children). He worked a lot as a doctor, even took part in the aftermath of the plague in 1519, improved the life of the inhabitants of Frombok (he built a special machine that distilled water to all the houses of the city), and became involved in the Polish-Teutonic conflict, which led to the emergence of the Duchy of Prussia .

last years of life

Copernicus devoted the last five years of his life to his book on the structure of the solar system and its publication, but he never managed to see it printed and replicated. He also worked a lot and free of charge as a doctor. In 1542, he was paralyzed, and in 1543, after several months of a coma after a stroke, he died at his home in Frombok.

Other biography options

Interestingly, biographers have not yet decided on the national identity of the great scientist. Some believe that he was a Pole, others argue that his mother was German and Nikolai was brought up in classical German traditions.
Nicholas had two sisters and a brother, who, like Nicholas himself, became a canon. One of the sisters went to a monastery, and the other got married. Copernicus adored his nephews and supported them as best he could until the end of his life.
Interestingly, it was Copernicus who first spoke about the law of universal gravitation.
Copernicus was fluent in Greek and Latin and even made literary translations.
For a long time, the location of the scientist's grave was unknown. Only in 2005, during excavations in the Cathedral of Frombok, a grave was discovered, and DNA analysis showed that this was the grave of Copernicus (DNA analysis was made possible thanks to 2 hairs that were discovered by scientists in the manuscripts of Copernicus). The remains were solemnly reburied in 2010.

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 brought up 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 ecclesiastical 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 a comprehensively 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 did research for the rest of his life.

Social activity

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

When the Lutheran Council organized a calendar reform commission, 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 for organizing the world, proposed by the ancient Greek scientist Claudius Ptolemy. It was believed that the Earth is at the center of the universe, and other planets and the Sun revolve around it. This theory could not explain many of the phenomena observed by astronomers, but it was in good agreement 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 just 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 are motionless and are on the surface of a huge sphere, he managed 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 realized by the Catholic Church later, when in 1616 his work was included in the Index of Forbidden Books.

The Polish scientist Nicolaus Copernicus is famous for being able to "stop the Sun and move the Earth." His doctrine of the heliocentric system of the structure of the world was an epochal discovery, which made a revolution in natural science and challenged the supporters of church dogmas. We should also not forget that this revolutionary doctrine was created in the Middle Ages, when everything advanced and progressive was perceived as a blow to religion and was persecuted by the Inquisition.

Childhood

In the Polish town of Torun, located on the picturesque banks of the Vistula River, on February 19, 1473, a son was born in the family of Nicholas Copernicus Sr. and Barbara Watzenrode, who was named Nicholas.

His father was from a wealthy merchant family, and he himself was a successful merchant, and his mother was from a well-known and wealthy burgher family: her father was the chairman of the city court, and her brothers were famous diplomats and politicians.
Nicholas was the youngest child in the Copernicus family, where besides him there was also an older brother Andrzej and two sisters - Ekaterina and Varvara. The future luminary of astronomy was only 10 years old when the plague claimed the life of his father, and six years later his mother passed away.

Under the care of an uncle

After the death of their parents, their uncle, Luke Watzenrode, who was a rather influential person, a bishop, diplomat and statesman, took care of the orphaned children. Uncle was an outstanding person, although he had a cruel and domineering character, but he treated his nephews with warmth and love. Luke Watzenrode was famous for his education and erudition, so he tried to instill in his nephews a desire to learn.

In the primary school, which worked at the church of St. John, Copernicus received his primary education. 15-year-old Nikolai had to continue his studies at the cathedral school in Vlotslavsk.

On the way to a degree

In 1491, both Copernicus brothers, on the recommendation of their uncle, chose the University of Krakow for further education, the level of teaching in which was famous throughout Europe. The brothers enrolled in the Faculty of Liberal Arts, where they taught physics, mathematics, medicine, theology, astronomy, and music theory. The learning process at the university was organized in such a way as to develop students' critical thinking, the ability to compare, compare, observe and draw conclusions, in addition, the university had a good tool base. It was at this time that Copernicus became interested in such a science as astronomy, which became his hobby for life.

After studying for three years in Krakow, the brothers did not manage to get a university degree. In order to ensure a comfortable existence for his nephews, in 1495 the uncle invites them to run for canons in the Frombork Cathedral, and for this he calls them home to Torun. However, Copernicus failed to get this place, and the main reason was the lack of a university diploma.

In 1496, Nicolaus Copernicus and his older brother left for Italy to continue their studies at the University of Bologna. This time they chose the Faculty of Law. But the uncle did not give up his attempts to arrange the future of his nephews. When the next time the vacancies again became vacant, he, using all his influence, ensured that the young men were elected canons. The brothers received not only well-paid positions, but also official leave for 3 years to complete their studies in Italy.

In Bologna, Nicholas studied law, but did not forget about his beloved astronomy. He conducts joint observations with the famous astronomer Domenico Mario di Novara. Later, in his famous treatise, Copernicus will rely on 27 of his own observations, the first of which he made during his stay in Bologna. The three years allotted for training ended, and he had to return to his place of service in Frombork, but Copernicus never received his degree. Therefore, Nikolai and his brother received leave again to complete their studies. This time, the University of Padua, famous for its medical faculty, was chosen. It was there that Copernicus acquired the fundamental knowledge that enabled him to become a qualified physician. In 1503, Nicholas at the University of Ferrara, having passed the exams externally, received a doctorate in law.

His studies in Italy lasted almost 10 years, and by the age of 33 Copernicus had become the most educated specialist in the field of mathematics, law, astronomy and medicine.

Priest, doctor, administrator, scientist

In 1506 he returned to his homeland. It was during this period that the comprehension and development of postulates regarding the heliocentric system of the structure of the world began.

For almost a year, Nicholas regularly performed the duties of a canon in the Cathedral of Frombork, then began working as an adviser to his uncle. Bishop Watzenrode really wanted to see his nephew as his successor, but he did not have the necessary activity and ambition for diplomatic and state activities.

In 1512, Bishop Watzenrode died, and Copernicus had to leave Heilsberg Castle and return to the duties of a canon at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Frombork. Despite numerous spiritual duties, Copernicus does not forget about his scientific research on the structure of the Universe.

From 1516 to 1519, Nikolai worked as the manager of the capitular estates in Pieniężno and Olsztyn. After his term expired, he returned to Frombork in the hope of devoting full time to astronomical observations. But the war with the crusaders forced the astronomer to change his plans: he had to lead the defense of the Olsztyn fortress, since all the members of the chapter and the bishop himself fled. In 1521, Nicholas was appointed Commissar of Warmia, and in 1523, the general administrator of this region.
The scientist was a versatile person: he successfully dealt with the administrative, economic and economic affairs of the diocese, led a medical practice, according to his project a new monetary system was introduced in Poland, he participated in the construction of hydraulic and waterworks. Copernicus, as a mathematician and astronomer, was invited to take part in reforming the Julian calendar.

The scientist who stopped the sun and moved the earth

After 1531, Copernicus, who was about 60 years old, resigned all his administrative posts. He was engaged only in medicine and astronomical research.

By this time, he was already absolutely convinced of the heliocentric structure of the world, which he set out in the manuscript "Small Commentary on Hypotheses Relating to Celestial Motions." His hypotheses refuted the theory of the ancient Greek scientist Ptolemy, which had existed for almost 1500 years. According to this theory, the Earth rested motionless in the center of the Universe, and all the planets, including the Sun, revolved around it. Although the teachings of Ptolemy could not explain many astronomical phenomena, but the church for many centuries supported the inviolability of this theory, since it suited it quite well. But Copernicus could not be content with hypotheses alone, he needed more compelling arguments, but it was very difficult to prove the correctness of his theory in practice at that time: there were no telescopes, and astronomical instruments were primitive. The scientist, observing the firmament, drew conclusions about the incorrectness of Ptolemy's theory, and using mathematical calculations convincingly proved that all the planets, including the Earth, revolve around the Sun. The church could not accept the teachings of Copernicus, because this destroyed the theory of the divine origin of the universe. The result of his 40 years of research, Nicolaus Copernicus outlined in the work “On the rotation of the celestial spheres”, which, thanks to the efforts of his student Joachim Rethik and like-minded Tiedemann Giese, was published in Nuremberg in May 1543. The scientist himself at that time was already ill: he suffered a stroke, as a result of which the right half of the body was paralyzed. On May 24, 1543, after another hemorrhage, the great Polish astronomer died. They say that already on his deathbed, Copernicus still managed to see his book printed.

The great scientist during his lifetime was not persecuted by the Inquisition, but his theory was declared by them as heresy, and the book was banned.

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Brief biography of Nicolaus Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus is an outstanding Polish astronomer who created the heliocentric system of the world. He was also a talented mathematician, mechanic, canonist, and the man who initiated the first scientific revolution. Nicolaus Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473 in Torun into a merchant family. Having lost his father early, he was brought up by his uncle, Bishop Lukasz Wachenrode.

Nicolaus Copernicus received his education at the University of Krakow, and continued at the Italian universities of Bologna, Padua and some others, where, in addition to astronomy, he studied medicine and law. Soon he was elected a canon, and then took a job as a secretary and doctor with his uncle at the episcopal residence in Lidzbark.

After the death of his uncle, he moved to Frombork. There, Copernicus settled in one tower, which has survived to this day, and set up his own observatory. It was in this room that he made important discoveries. The result of the long-term work of the scientist was the creation of the heliocentric system of the world. First of all, he only wanted to improve the heliocentric system of Ptolemy, set out in the Almagest. As a result, he managed to derive a more precise definition of the elements through which Ptolemy represented the movement of celestial bodies. He also added a number of his discoveries, the philosophical significance of which was that the Earth, previously considered the center of the world, added to the list of planets. There was another idea that "heaven" and "earth" obey the same physical laws. The tables compiled by Copernicus were much more accurate than those compiled by Ptolemy, and this was very important in those days, as navigation was rapidly developing. Thus, the Copernican heliocentric system became widespread. His writings were described in On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, published shortly before his death in 1543.

In general, the views of Copernicus were revolutionary in nature, and for a long time were not recognized by the Catholic Church. A follower of Copernicus was Galileo Galilei, who later developed the consequences of his teachings.

Biography

early years

Torun: the house where Copernicus was born

The question of the ethnicity of Copernicus is still the subject of a (rather unpromising) discussion. His mother was German (Barbara Watzenrode), the father's nationality is unclear. Thus, ethnically, Copernicus was German or half German, although he himself may have considered himself a Pole (by territorial and political affiliation). He wrote in Latin and German, not a single document in Polish written by his hand has been found; after the early death of his father, he was brought up in a German family by his mother and uncle. Niccolò Komneno Popadopoli spread the unproven - and, according to modern historians, invented by himself - story that Copernicus allegedly enrolled at the University of Padua as a Pole. It should be noted that the concept of nationality in those years was much more vague than today, and some historians suggest that Copernicus be considered a Pole and a German at the same time.

In the Copernicus family, besides Nicholas, there were three more children: Andrei, later a canon in Warmia, and two sisters: Barbara and Katerina. Barbara went to a monastery, and Katerina got married and gave birth to five children, to whom Nicolaus Copernicus was very attached and took care of them until the end of his life.

Bust of Copernicus in Krakow

Having lost his father as a 9-year-old child and remained in the care of his maternal uncle, Canon Luke ( Lucas) Watzenrode (Watzelrode), Copernicus entered the University of Krakow in 1491, where he studied mathematics, medicine and theology with equal zeal, but he was especially attracted to astronomy.

To continue his education, Copernicus leaves for Italy () and enters the University of Bologna. In addition to theology, law and ancient languages, he also has the opportunity to study astronomy there. It is interesting to note that one of the professors in Bologna was then Scipio del Ferro, with whose discoveries the revival of European mathematics began. Meanwhile, thanks to the efforts of his uncle, in Poland Copernicus is elected in absentia as a canon in the diocese of Warmia.

Death

A. Lesser. Death of Copernicus

The book of Copernicus has remained as an outstanding monument of human thought. From that moment dates the beginning of the first scientific revolution.

grave

The location of Copernicus' tomb remained unknown for a long time, but in November 2008 DNA analysis confirmed the discovery of his remains.

Scientific activity

heliocentric system

Celestial spheres in the Copernican manuscript

Title page of "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium"

In the preface to the book, Copernicus writes:

Considering how absurd this teaching must seem, I hesitated for a long time to publish my book and thought whether it would not be better to follow the example of the Pythagoreans and others, who transmitted their teaching only to friends, spreading it only by tradition.

The Nuremberg theologian Osiander, to whom Rheticus entrusted the printing of Copernicus's book, out of caution provided it with an anonymous preface in which he declared the new model a conditional mathematical device invented to reduce calculations. At one time, this preface was attributed to Copernicus himself, although he resolutely refused to make such a reservation in response to Osiander's request. The preface is followed by a letter of praise from Cardinal Schoenberg and a dedication to Pope Paul III.

In structure, the main work of Copernicus almost repeats the Almagest in a somewhat abridged form (6 books instead of 13). The first part speaks of the sphericity of the world and the Earth, and instead of the position of the immobility of the Earth, another axiom is placed - the Earth and other planets rotate around an axis and revolve around the Sun. This concept is argued in detail, and the "opinion of the ancients" is convincingly refuted. From heliocentric positions, he easily explains the return motion of the planets.

The second part provides information on spherical trigonometry and the rules for calculating the apparent positions of stars, planets and the Sun in the firmament.

The third one talks about the annual movement of the Earth and precession (precession of the equinoxes), and Copernicus correctly explains it by the displacement of the earth's axis, which is why the line of intersection of the equator with the ecliptic moves.

In the fourth - about the Moon, in the fifth - about the planets in general, and in the sixth - about the reasons for changing the latitudes of the planets. The book also contains a star catalog, an estimate of the size of the Sun and Moon, the distances to them and to the planets (close to true), the theory of eclipses.

Assumption I: The sun is the center of the universe and, therefore, is motionless. Everyone believes that this statement is absurd and absurd from a philosophical point of view, and moreover, formally heretical, since its expressions largely contradict the Holy Scripture, according to the literal meaning of the words, as well as the usual interpretation and understanding of the Church Fathers and teachers of theology.
Assumption II: The Earth is not the center of the universe, it is not motionless and moves as a whole (body) and, moreover, makes a daily circulation. Everyone thinks that this position deserves the same philosophical condemnation; in terms of theological truth, it is at least wrong in faith.

original text(lat.)

Propositio I: Sol est centrum et omnino immobilis motu locali. Censura: omnes dixerunt dictam propositionem esse stultam et absurdam in philosophia et formaliter hereticam, quatenus contradicit expresse sententiis sacrae Scripturae in multis locis, secundum proprietatem verborum et secundum expositionem et sensum SS, Patrum et theologorum doctorum. Propositio II: Terra non est centrum mundi nec immobilis, sed secundum se totam movetur etiam motu diurno. Censura: omnes dixerunt hanc propositionem recipere eandem censuram in philosophia et spectando veritatem theologicam ad minus esse in fide erroneam..

The most famous consequence of this decision in the 17th century was the trial of Galileo (1633), who violated the church prohibition in his book Dialogues Concerning the Two Chief Systems of the World.

Contrary to popular belief, the very book of Copernicus " ”was formally banned by the Inquisition for only 4 years, but was censored. In 1616, it was listed in the Roman Index of Prohibited Books, marked "before correction." The required censorship amendments, which had to be made by the owners of the book for further use, were made public in 1620. These corrections mainly concerned statements from which it followed that heliocentrism is not just a mathematical model, but a reflection of reality. Many copies of the first (Nuremberg,), second (Basel,) and third (Amsterdam,) editions have survived, owned, in particular, by famous astronomers and other historical figures, in which the owners complied with censorship instructions with varying degrees of loyalty: from completely obscuring the required fragments Copernicus and the inscription of the recommended text, to the complete disregard of the prescriptions. About 2/3 of the surviving copies from Italy have been corrected by their owners, while the vast majority of copies from other countries have not been corrected. The Spanish Index of Prohibited Books explicitly allowed the book. Interestingly, copies of the second and third editions were brought to China by Jesuit missionaries in 1618 during the formal prohibition. The book was removed from the Roman Index of Prohibited Books in 1835. .

Other achievements in astronomy

Copernicus was one of the first to express the idea of universal gravitation. One of his letters says:

I think that heaviness is nothing but a certain desire with which the divine Architect endowed the particles of matter so that they would unite in the form of a ball. The Sun, the Moon, and the planets probably have this property; to him these luminaries owe their spherical shape.

He confidently predicted that Venus and Mercury had phases similar to those of the moon. After the invention of the telescope, Galileo confirmed this prediction.

Economy

Copernicus was the first to draw attention to a regularity known as the Copernican-Gresham Law (independently discovered also by the English banker Thomas Gresham). According to this principle, money that is more stable in its exchange rate (for example, gold) will be forced out of circulation, as people will accumulate savings in it, and “worse” money (for example, copper) will participate in real circulation.

List of works

N.C. Medita XV. Augusti anno domini MDXVII.,
Tractatus de monetis,
Monetae cudendae ratio,
De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium- Nuremberg, Germany:

perpetuation of memory

Monuments

Named after Copernicus:

Notes

Literature

Compositions

Copernicus Nicholas. On the rotation of the celestial spheres. Per. I. N. Veselovsky. Moscow: Nauka, 1964.

About him

Ambartsumyan V. A. Copernicus and modern astronomy. Report at the Anniversary Meeting of the General Meeting of the USSR Academy of Sciences, dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the birth of N. Copernicus, March 6, 1973. Bulletin of the USSR Academy of Sciences, No. 5, 1973, pp. 46-56.
A. V. Akhutin The Copernican Innovation and the Copernican Revolution. In the book: A. V. Akhutin Struggling about being. M.: RFO, 1997, p. 181-243.
Bely Yu. A. Copernicus, Copernicanism and the Development of Natural Science. IAI, Vol. XII, p. fifteen.
Veselovsky I. N., Bely Yu. A. Copernicus, 1473-1543. Moscow: Nauka, 1974.
Gerasimenko M.P. Nicolaus Copernicus is an outstanding economist of the era of early capitalism. Kyiv: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, 1953.
Grebenikov E. A. Nicholas Copernicus. Moscow: Nauka, 1982.
Dmitriev I. S. The Temptation of Saint Copernicus: The Unscientific Roots of the Scientific Revolution. Publishing House of St. Petersburg University, 2006.
Idelson N.I. Studies in the history of celestial mechanics. Moscow: Nauka, 1975.
Levin A. The Man Who Moved the Earth // Popular Mechanics. - 2009. - № 6.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). On the 400th anniversary of death. M.-L.: Ed. Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1947.
Engelgardt M. A. Nicholas Copernicus. In the book: Copernicus. Galileo. Kepler. Laplace and Euler. Quetelet. Biographical narratives (F. Pavlenkov's library, volume 21, pp. 5-73). Chelyabinsk, "Ural", 1997.
Dmitriev I. S. The Temptation of Saint Copernicus: The Unscientific Roots of the Scientific Revolution. Publishing house of St. Petersburg University, 2006.