Nicolaus Copernicus
1473-1543
Mostly an astronomer, but did different things
A learned gentleman who, as was common in the Middle Ages, was involved in a little bit of everything. However, he is best known for his work as an astronomer.
The Sun is the centre of the universe, not the Earth
Copernicus is known for putting the Sun at the centre and having the planets revolve around it, which led to some unrest in the scientific world at the time. Formally, his work on the movement of the planets – De revolutionibus orbium coelestium – was banned by the Catholic Church from 1616 to 1822. However, the theory was quickly recognised and further developed by other researchers.
Was Copernicus German or Polish? Or is it not important?
Copernicus was born into a German-speaking family in the Prussian Hanseatic city of Torun (German: Thorn), which at the time was under Polish rule. This has led to controversy over Copernicus’ nationality. We don’t know if he spoke Polish, but he worked for the Polish state and was affiliated with the University of Krakow. However, all of Copernicus’ scientific endeavours were conducted in Latin, which he presumably also spoke when he was with other scholars. The question of nationality was probably quite minor back then, and has only become an issue in the age of nation states. However, the topic can nowadays infuriate proponents of one viewpoint or another, and unless you find it entertaining to observe people with elevated blood pressure, you should probably stay away from the topic.
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