BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Happy Birthday, Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473. He was a prominent local citizen in his city - a churchman, administrator, astronomer, mathematician, diploma, economist and reluctant revolutionary. His work on the Sun-centered planetary system wasn't highly controversial in his lifetime and didn't get banned by the Church for quite some time after his death.

Oddly, for an eminent citizen and later great historical figure, it was only in 2005 that his burial place was discovered after centuries in which no one knew where his remains were. You can find out how modern techniques and his student astronomy books help to identify his remains four and a half centuries later in Copernicus - His Life.

Here is the house where Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland. It now forms part of a museum dedicated to his life and work. As you can see, he came from a fairly well-to-do family.