Nicolaus Copernicus (Niccolò Copernicus)

Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance-era mathematician and astronomer who formulated the heliocentric model of the solar system, proposing that the Sun, not the Earth, is the center. His groundbreaking work suggested that Earth and other planets orbit the Sun, which challenged the long-held geocentric view. Published in 1543 as "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres," his ideas laid the foundation for modern astronomy and shifted scientific thinking towards a more accurate understanding of our universe’s structure. Copernicus's model improved astronomical predictions and opened the way for future discoveries by scientists like Kepler and Galileo.