Copernicus, Nicholas
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
COPERNICUS, NICHOLAS kopur nik s, Pol. Mikotaj Kopernik, 1473 1543, Polish astronomer. After studying astronomy at the Univ...treatise, which was dedicated to Pope Paul III, was probably completed by 1530 but was not published until 1543, when Copernicus was on his deathbed. Modern astronomy was built upon the foundation of the Copernican system. See his complete works...