Mikołaj Kopernik

Mikołaj Kopernik, known as Nicolaus Copernicus in Latin, was a Renaissance mathematician and astronomer from Poland. He is best known for proposing the heliocentric model of the universe, which argues that the Sun, not the Earth, is at the center of our solar system. This revolutionary idea challenged the long-held geocentric view, which placed the Earth at the center. Copernicus’ work laid the foundation for modern astronomy and was pivotal in the Scientific Revolution, influencing later astronomers like Galileo and Kepler. His major work, "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium," was published shortly before his death in 1543.