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tags: #physics #astronomy #history-of-science

Nicolaus Copernicus proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system, which placed the Sun, rather than the Earth, at the center. This was a radical departure from the long-held geocentric model of Aristotle's Cosmology.

Copernicus's model was not initially more accurate at predicting planetary positions than the existing Ptolemaic system. Its primary advantage was its elegance and simplicity. By placing the Sun at the center, the complex "epicycles" required in the geocentric model to explain the retrograde motion of planets were no longer necessary.

This shift in perspective, often called the Copernican Revolution, was a pivotal moment in the history of science. It demoted humanity from the center of the universe and paved the way for the work of astronomers like Johannes Kepler. It stands as a powerful example of how changing a single core assumption can revolutionize an entire field.

Reference

Coursera, "Question Reality: Matter"