NicolausCopernicus(February19,1473–May24,1543)wasanastronomerwhoprovidedthefirstmodernformulationofaheliocentric(sun-centered)theoryofthesolarsysteminhisepochalbook,Derevolutionibusorbiumcoelestium(OntheRevolutionsoftheCelestialSpheres).Copernicuswasbornin1473inthecityofToruń(Thorn),inRoyalPrussia,anautonomousprovinceoftheKingdomofPoland.HewaseducatedinPolandandItaly,andspentmostofhisworkinglifeinFrombork(Frauenburg),Warmia,wherehediedin1543. 　　CopernicuswasoneofthegreatpolymathsoftheRenaissance.Hewasamathematician,astronomer,jurist,physician,classicalscholar,governor,administrator,diplomat,economist,andsoldier.Amidhisextensiveresponsibilities,hetreatedastronomyasanavocation.However,hisformulationofhowthesunratherthantheearthisatthecenteroftheuniverseisconsideredoneofthemostimportantscientifichypothesesinhistory.Itcametomarkthestartingpointofmodernastronomyand,inturn,ofmodernscience,encouragingyoungastronomers,scientistsandscholarstotakeamoreskepticalattitudetowardestablisheddogma. 　　Copernicuswasbornin1473,hewoulddiein1543.Whenhewastenyearsold,hisfather,awealthybusinessman,coppertrader,andrespectedcitizenofToruń,died.LittleisknownofCopernicus'mother,BarbaraWatzenrode,whoappearstohavepredeceasedherhusband.Copernicus'maternaluncle,LucasWatzenrode,achurchcanonandlaterPrince-BishopgovernoroftheArchbishopricofWarmia,rearedhimandhisthreesiblingsafterthedeathofhisfather.Hisuncle'spositionhelpedCopernicusinthepursuitofacareerwithinthechurch,enablinghimtodevotetimetohisastronomystudies.Copernicushadabrotherandtwosisters: 　　AndreasbecameacanonatFrombork(Frauenburg). 　　BarbarabecameaBenedictinenun. 　　KatharinamarriedBarthelGertner,abusinessmanandcitycouncillor. 　　In1491,CopernicusenrolledattheCracowAcademy(todaytheJagiellonianUniversity),whereheprobablyfirstencounteredastronomy,taughtbyhisteacher,AlbertBrudzewski.Thissciencesoonfascinatedhim,asshownbyhisbooks,whichwouldlaterbecarriedoffaswarbootybytheSwedes,during"TheDeluge",totheUppsalaUniversityLibrary.AfterfouryearsatCracow,followedbyabriefstaybackhomeatToruń,hewenttoItaly,wherehestudiedlawandmedicineattheuniversitiesofBolognaandPadua.Hisbishop-unclefinancedhiseducationandwishedforhimtobecomeabishopaswell.However,whilestudyingcanonandcivillawatFerrara,Copernicusmetthefamousastronomer,DomenicoMariaNovaradaFerrara.CopernicusattendedNovara'slecturesandbecamehisdiscipleandassistant.ThefirstobservationsthatCopernicusmadein1497,togetherwithNovara,arerecordedinCopernicus'epochalbook,Derevolutionibusorbiumcoelestium. 　　StatueofaseatedCopernicusholdingaarmillarysphere,byBertelThorvaldsen,infrontofthePolishAcademyofSciences,Warsaw.In1497Copernicus'unclewasordainedBishopofWarmia,andCopernicuswasnamedacanonatFromborkCathedral,buthewaitedinItalyforthegreatJubileeof1500.CopernicuswenttoRome,whereheobservedalunareclipseandgavesomelecturesinastronomyormathematics. 　　HewouldthushavevisitedFromborkonlyin1501.Assoonashearrived,herequestedandobtainedpermissiontor