Copernicus: An astronomer born in Polish Prussia credited with developing the theory (sixteenth century) that Earth is a moving planet that revolves around the Sun, a contradiction to Ptolemy's theory (second century) that the Earth is the center of the universe and fixed in space. In his book, Concerning the revolutions of the Celestial Sphere (1543), Copernicus discussed apparent motions of heavenly bodies as observed from Earth in relation to actual celestial motions.

 

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Copernicus: An astronomer born in Polish Prussia credited with developing the theory (sixteenth century) that Earth is a moving planet that revolves around the Sun, a contradiction to Ptolemy's theory ( . . . View Full Definition

Pythagoras: Greek 569-470 B.C., studied in Egypt. Left nothing in writing but is supposed to said that the Earth, Moon and planets and fixed stars revolved round the Sun. Copernicus in the sixteenth cen . . . View Full Definition