Nicholas Copernicus- February 19, 1473 to May 24, 1543
Nicholas Copernicus’ greatest contribution to science was the idea that the Sun was the center of our solar system rather than the Earth. In other words, a heliocentric model rather than a geocentric model. This was a major step forward in determining that the Earth is nothing special in this universe full of other planets, solar systems, and galaxies. Copernicus Source
3a. In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed to what we now know as the Americas, and became the first non native to discover the land.
In 1521 the Spanish conquered Mexico, which would stay that way until the Spanish American war. Major Historical Events in 15th Century
3b. King Henry VIII of England also lived during the time of Copernicus. He is a notable king for his erratic behavior and being responsible for separating the English government with the Roman Catholic Church. Significance of King Henry VIII
4. I think it is more than interesting to get a little bit of context when discussing the history of astronomy. I did not realize how closely together these 5 influential figures lived, and as a result they must have relied on each other’s work greatly. Furthermore, they lived during a time of great exploration, much of which relied on celestial navigation. Could there be a connection between the huge advances we made in Astronomy during this period and the need for astronomy in order to travel by sea?
