The Facts: Nicolaus Copernicus

By Gavin Thomas Freitas

1. Nicolaus Copernicus was born February 19, 1473.
2. Nicolaus Copernicus was in the city of Torun in the countryof Poland.
3. Nicolaus Copernicus was a scientist.
4. Nicolaus Copernicus went to the University of Cracow.
5. He studied to be a lawyer, a doctor and in his spare time he studied Ancient Greek and Astronomy.
6. Copernicus stayed in college until he was 30.
7. After college Copernicus had many jobs; he was a doter, lawyer, and a military strategist.
8. He became famous for his hobby, studying astronomy.
9. Nicolaus Copernicus became famous for his theory. He discovered that the earth was not the center of the universe, but that the sun is the center of the universe.
10. Copernicus used the example of a rowboat to explain his theory.  He explained that if you were in a boat, rowing out to sea, land would seem to be moving away from you.  But you were moving and not the land.  The sun is like the land, and Earth is like the boat.
11. Copernicus wrote a book to explain that the Earth and the other planets circled the sun.
12. Copernicus died before his book was published.
13. Nicolaus Copernicus died at 70 years old.