Facts for Kids

🌌 Nicolaus Copernicus formulated the heliocentric model of the universe, placing the Sun at the center instead of the Earth.

📚 His most famous work, 'De revolutionibus orbium coelestium,' was published in 1543, shortly before his death.

🌍 Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473, in Toruń, Poland.

🧑‍🎓 He was not only an astronomer but also a mathematician, physician, and a canon of the Catholic Church.

🔭 His ideas laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and challenged the geocentric views of the time.

📅 The Copernican Revolution refers to the shift in scientific thought that Copernicus began.

🏛️ He studied at the University of Kraków and later in Italy, where he was influenced by Renaissance humanism.

🔬 Copernicus's theories were initially met with resistance from both the Church and scholars.

⭐ His work influenced later astronomers like Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler.

💡 Copernicus is often referred to as the father of modern astronomy.