Copernican model

The Copernican model, developed by Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century, proposed that the Sun, not Earth, is at the center of the solar system. In this model, Earth and other planets orbit the Sun in circular paths. This was a significant shift from the earlier view that Earth was the center (geocentric model). The heliocentric model better explained planetary motions and laid the foundation for modern astronomy, changing our understanding of the universe by showing that Earth is one of several planets revolving around the Sun.