Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance astronomer who proposed a revolutionary idea: that the Earth revolves around the Sun, rather than the other way around. This heliocentric model challenged the long-held geocentric view, which placed Earth at the center of the universe. Copernicus' work, especially his book "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres," laid the groundwork for modern astronomy by encouraging a shift in perspective. His ideas were initially controversial but ultimately helped foster a scientific approach to understanding the cosmos, influencing later astronomers like Galileo and Kepler, and changing humanity's understanding of its place in the universe.