Nicolaus Copernicus was born in what is now Poland on this day in 1473. He was given a top-flight education in Krakow with the intent of making the young man a legal professional in the Catholic Church. After those studies, he was sent to the University of Bologna in Italy, where he got some exposure to astronomy. At the time, the accepted wisdom was that the universe was centered on planet Earth, but his mentor, university astronomer Domenico Maria de Novara, questioned that idea. Once Copernicus entered his career in canon law, astronomy became a hobby — but it was one he excelled in.
He first wrote arguments in favor of the idea that planets revolve around the sun in his thirties, but that work remained unpublished until after his death. It wasn't until the last year of his life, 1543, that he finished and published his magnum opus on heliocentrism. His theory wasn't quickly accepted; mathematicians loved the book, but it wasn't in line with the doctrine of the church, so its arguments were controversial. While some theorists continued to debate the accuracy of heliocentrism, it took until Galileo Galilei's astronomical observations in the early 17th century for the issue to become a major topic of conversation again.
You can learn more about Copernicus at History.com.
