Copernicus: The Founder of Modern AstronomyThe sixteenth-century astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, overthrew the age-old belief that the earth was fixed at the centre of the universe, thus establishing the general plan of the solar system which is accepted to this day. This is an account of the astronomer and his heliocentric planetary theory, providing historical background of the science of astronomy as well as a lucid picture of the life of the man who was to influence it so greatly. |
Contents
OBILIO OF CA | 68 |
The Copernican Universe | 78 |
Precursors of Copernicus | 87 |
Copyright | |
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Almagest angle angular annual anomaly apogee apparent motion apse line Aristotle astronomer Babylonians calculated celestial sphere century B.C. Chapter circle circular motions Commentariolus Coper Copernican system Copernican theory Copernicus cosmology deferent described Digges direction displacement diurnal motion diurnal rotation doctrine earth earth's axis earth's orbit earth's radius eastward eccentric ecliptic epicycle equinoctial points equinoxes explained fixed stars Frauenburg Galileo geocentric geometrical gravity Greek heavenly bodies heavens heliocentric theory Hence Hipparchus hypothesis inclination inequality infra Kepler known latitude longitude lunar theory manuscript Mars maximum mean position mean sun Mercury moon's distance move Newton nicus observations opposition oscillation parallax phenomena physical planetary motions planetary theory pole precession Ptolemy Ptolemy's relative represent revolution revolutionibus revolved Rheticus round Saturn sidereal period stationary stellar sun's superior planets supposed supra synodic period tables terrestrial Thomas Digges tion Torun triangle Tycho Brahe universe Venus west to east whence