Famous Poles – Mikołaj Kopernik

Mikołaj Kopernik (Nicolaus Copernicus) is being referred to as a man who wstrzymał Słońce, ruszył Ziemię – stopped the Sun and moved the Earth. He was a Polish astronomer and mathematician who lived from 1473 to 1543, born in Toruń. Copernicus was also a diplomat, physician, lawyer, and even a military commander. He is an important figure in Polish history and culture for several reasons. Copernicus was born and raised in Poland, and he spent much of his life working in his homeland as a canon and physician.

As a result, he is often celebrated as a Polish hero and a source of national pride, often described by the famous phrase: “He stopped the Sun and moved the Earth.” His face appears on Polish currency (with various versions in different years), and numerous institutions, including the prestigious Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, bear his name. One of his famous statue stands before the Staszic Palace in Warsaw.

Copernicus was also a key figure in the Renaissance as a true Renaissance Polymath, a period of cultural and intellectual rebirth that had a significant impact on Poland and other European countries. He is a monumental figure whose work serves as the bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern Era.

He published a shred of evidence that Earth orbits the Sun, which was a contrary statement to what was so far believed, that Earth is the center of the Universe. His primary achievement was the Heliocentric Theory, detailed in his masterpiece, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (“On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres”). By establishing the thesis of a heliocentric solar system he began the scientific revolution. Before Copernicus, the world followed the Geocentric Model, believing the Earth was the stationary center of the universe. This wasn’t just a scientific view; it was the foundation of religious and philosophical thought.

Copernicus’ theory was a breakthrough in astronomy and challenged the established view of the universe, which held that the Earth was the center of the universe and all other celestial bodies orbited around it. His work helped pave the way for future astronomers and scientists to better understand the nature of our solar system and the universe. His theory was highly controversial and not accepted at his time, yet it becomes one of the most important “game-changers” for understanding the Universe.

Copernicus triggered the Copernican Revolution, which:

• Decentralized Humanity: By proving Earth is just another planet, he shifted the human perspective from being the “center of creation” to being part of a vast, moving system.
• Founded Modern Astronomy: His use of mathematical proof and observation over dogma laid the groundwork for future giants like Galileo, Kepler, and Newton.
• Enabled the Scientific Revolution: He showed that established authority could be wrong, encouraging a culture of questioning and empirical evidence.

Despite the overwhelming criticism towards his work, Kopernik defended his theories till the end of his life and became a symbol of the brave scientist standing alone, against the common beliefs, and is now called the founder of modern astronomy.

Overall, Mikołaj Kopernik is an important and beloved figure in Polish history and culture, and his legacy continues to inspire people in Poland and around the world.

Watch a short video about Mikołaj Kopernik

Take a look at the humoristic visualization of Kopernik’s daily life challenges (English subtitles available in the video)

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