COPERNICUS (Nicaokes) in biogra phy, was born at Thorn; in Prussia, in 1472. Having acquired, during the course of his education at Cracow, a fondness for mathematical studies, and particular ly for astronomy, he went to Bologna, to prosecute these studies under an emi nent astronomer of that university. Here he obtained such distinction, that lie was appointed professor of mathematics at Rome. Returning after some years to his native country, he obtained a canon ry in the cathedral church of Frauen burg, and in the leisure which this situa tion afforded him pursued his astrono mical speculations. Perceiving the Ptole maic system (which supposes the Earth to be fixed in the centre, and the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, to revolve about it in con centric circles) to be inconsistent with the phenomena, and encumbered with many absurdities, he had recourse to the Pythagorean hypothesis, which places the Sun in the centre of the system, and makes the Earth a planet, revolving an.
nually with the rest about the Sun, and daily about its own axis. Upon this sys tem, compared with the observations which had been made by others and himself; he proceeded to ascertain the periodical revolutions of the planets, and wrote his treatise, " De Orbium Ccelestium Revolutionibus"—" On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies," in which he demonstrated them geome-, trically, A doctrine which explained the celes tial phenomena with so much simplicity could not fail to engage the attention and admiration of astronomers and phi losophers. Buf, on account of its in consistency with some passages of scrip ture, it was rejected by many divines, and censured in an express decree of the Romish Church. Nevertheless the doctrine daily gained ground, and is now universally received. Copernicus died in 1543.