Nicolaus Copernicus
...nicus began to study canon lay at the University of Bologna in 1497. Around 1500 Copernicus gave speeches on astronomy to people in Rome. Later that year he gained permission to study medicine at Padua University. Copernicus did not complete his medical studies but he received a doctorate in canon law from Ferrara in 1503, after which he returned to Poland to take up his administrative duties. From 1503 to 1510, Copernicus stayed in his uncle’s bishop palace in Lidzbark Warmiski. From there he published his first book, a Latin translation of letters on morals by a Byzantine writer. Between the times of 1507 and 1515, he completed a short astronomical book. It was not published until the 19th century. During some of his college years Copernicus was living at the home of mathematics professor, Domenico Maria de Novara. Novara taught him what European Scientist were just beginning to learn, the art of observation (Cannon, 1997). One of the reasons Copernicus is famous was because he challenged Pltolmy’s theory. If Copernicus hadn’t challenged Pltolmy’s theory, it would have affected us in many ways. Space travel, satellites, and weather prediction would not be as advanced. Copernicus’ theory was that Earth rotates daily on its axis, while revolving yearly around the sun. He said that other planets also circle the sun. His theories of planetary motion were also important. It explained the apparent motion of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn and also that Mercury and Venus never moved more than a certain distance from the sun. His theory als...