16 Questions
What is Nicolaus Copernicus best known for?
Proposing the heliocentric theory of the solar system
Before Copernicus, what was the prevailing belief about the solar system?
The Earth was stationary at the center of the universe
What did Copernicus propose about the Earth's motion?
The Earth rotates on its axis
Where was Nicolaus Copernicus born?
Torun, Poland
What field was Copernicus initially intended for?
Church law
Where did Copernicus study liberal arts and astronomy?
University of Krakow
What was the prevailing belief about the position of the Earth in the Ptolemaic system?
The Earth was stationary and motionless at the center of the universe.
What was Copernicus' astronomical contribution that departed from the conventional wisdom?
Heliocentric theory
What did astronomers of Copernicus' time disagree on?
The order of the planets from Earth.
What did Domenico Maria de Novara have the responsibility of doing at the University of Bologna?
Issuing astrological prognostications
In what field did Copernicus receive a doctorate in 1503?
Canon law
What kind of astronomical work did Copernicus dedicate himself to during his free time?
Scholarly pursuits
What was Novara's role at the University of Bologna?
Principal astronomer
What was Novara's opinion on astrology and aspects of the Ptolemaic system?
He exposed Copernicus to criticisms both astrology and aspects of the Ptolemaic system.
What did Ptolemy seek to resolve with his celestial system?
The eccentric motion of planets
What did the philosopher Ptolemy propose to explain planetary motion?
Small circles called epicycles around larger circles that revolve around Earth
Test your knowledge about Nicolaus Copernicus, the Polish astronomer who proposed the heliocentric theory of the solar system in his major work 'On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres' in 1543.
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