As the man who is credited for being one of the first to publicly say that the sun didn’t revolve around the Earth, many would expect Nicolaus Copernicus to hold at least one degree from a university. Copernicus is also considered the Father of Modern Astronomy, which further enhances that assumption of an advanced education. It’s true that Copernicus went to at least 3 different universities during his life. The only problem is that it appears he flunked out or chose to leave all 3 times. There is no record of him every having received a university degree.
1. A Doctor, But Not Really
Copernicus became a physician when his uncle became ill to care for him. He also acted as a physician for the bishop would would follow in his uncle’s footsteps and was considered the family doctor for his local church. It’s understandable considering the fact that his father died at the age of 11 and his uncle cared for him afterward. The only problem was that Copernicus never received a degree in medicine to begin practicing medicine.
2. A Misinterpreted Theory
We celebrate the fact that Copernicus had a theory that the Earth revolved around the sun, but this isn’t actually true. His theory was that there were multiple centers of the universe and that one of those centers was located near the sun. Maybe that wasn’t entirely true, but he got a few things right. For example: he stated that the distance from the sun to the Earth was imperceptibly small when compared to the distances of other stars.
To be fair, Copernicus changed his theories because the initial reaction to a heliocentric model was received without much reaction at all. A small change in the theory created a huge reaction.
3. He Wasn’t a Hated Guy
We like to think that Copernicus was some sort of a massive rebel. He’s often celebrated for “standing up” to the Catholic Church and its teachings of the time. What most people don’t realize about Copernicus is that before he published anything, he sought out the advice of other experts, scholars, and astronomers of his time. Most of the reaction he received was positive and only rarely was he told that his theories went against the Bible.
4. Decades of Imprisonment
Copernicus never really experienced persecution because of his theories about the universe, but those who would attempt to prove his theories mathematically certain did. The most famous example of this is Galileo, who was placed under house arrest by an Inquisition because of his efforts to prove the heliocentric theories of Copernicus. At best, Copernicus faced criticism and that was about it.
5. A Fun Roommate
While studying religious law, Copernicus met a man named Domenico Maria Novara. Novara was a fellow astronomer and he loved their exchanges and debates regarding the subject. It would be one of the only times when he met someone who really challenged and engaged him in a non-judgmental way. Both loved their exchanges so much that they decided to become roommates so that they continue those exchanges more often.
6. Banned From the Church
Copernicus spent most of his final years defending his work. Most of the work he completed with crude tools. It was said that he didn’t have a telescope. It was so revolutionary and critical of the current theories that had been accepted for so long that the Church banned his work for over 3 centuries to prevent its influences. That’s why Galileo and others were brought before an Inquisition – they were studying works that were deemed “illegal.”
7. An Important Addendum
Just before Copernicus succumbed to an illness, it wouldn’t be the Catholic Church, but the followers of Martin Luther who would begin an attempt to alter the public perception of the heliocentric theory. Luther’s subordinate, a minister named Andreas Osiander, wrote a disclaimer for Copernicus’ publications to say that the documents were a theory and not to be considered as fact. Many who would then read the text later on would not be challenged and Copernicus was too weak at that time to do anything about it.
8. An Interesting Dedication
Copernicus actually dedicated his theories to the Pope at the time. In many ways, this may have impacted the Church’s desire to have the book placed on the banned list. If they did not, with the dedication in place, it could have been interpreted as support for Copernicus at a time when the rebellion of Martin Luther was very problematic.
Copernicus changed the way we think about the universe. He was persistent in finding and unlocking new moments of knowledge that could benefit us all. That’s why he is considered the Father of Modern Astronomy, even if he may have never earned a full degree.
