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You are here: Home > Homeschool Astronomy > This Post

โ˜€๏ธ ๐ŸŒ HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE & HISTORY: Copernicus and His Revolutions

19 February 2023 by Bob O'Hara

Today is the birthday of one of the most important figures in the history of science: the great Polish astronomer and polymath Nicolaus Copernicus (1473โ€“1543). (“Oh, polymath is a beautiful word. Let’s look it up on our big dictionary.”) In Copernicus’ honor, why not take a few homeschool minutes today to introduce your students to his great work, On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres (De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium), first published in 1543.

Copernicus was an extraordinary scholar whose work extended far beyond the astronomical research for which he is best known. He spoke five languages, translated Greek poetry, studied medicine, mathematics, economic theory, and more. And he did this while serving for much of his adult life as aย canonย โ€” aย senior church administrative officerย โ€” in Poland’s Frombork Cathedral. (Frombork today is home to aย Copernicus Museum and research center.)

De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium, or “De Rev” as history of science geeks call it, is one of the most important books ever published because it laid out a comprehensive sun-centered or heliocentric picture of the solar system, replacing the earlier earth-centered or geocentric picture.

[Copernicus' heliocentric system]
The heliocentric model of Copernicus, from De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (1543). Note the sun (Sol) at the center, and the earth (Terra) in the third orbit, along with earth’s moon (โ€‰โ˜ฝโ€‰). (Image: Wikimedia Commons.)

Fewer than 300 copies of the original 1543 edition of De Revolutionibus survive today. But we live in aย truly fortunate age, when aย young student can sit at home and examine up close some of the rarest and most important books in historyย โ€” books that just aย few years ago would have been accessible only to professional scholars in the world’s largest libraries.

Here is aย copy of the “De Rev” that has been scanned and made available by RareBookRoom.org, aย wonderful site that provides online access to some of the most important books ever written. The scans are very high resolution so all the pages can be examined one by one in great detail, right down to the handwritten notes in the margins and to the texture of the paper as it was impressed by the metal type. Spend aย few homeschool minutes today with your students (at aย large screen rather than aย phone) exploring this bibliographic treasure:

  • โžข De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (1543) (rarebookroom.org)

The text is in Latinย โ€” the language of nearly all scientific books at that timeย โ€” and the printing is exceptionally fine. Zoom in on a few pages using theย โˆ’/+ scale at the top of the page to get a full appreciation for this great example, not only of science, but of the printer’s art as well.

If you have curious science students in your homeschool, be sure they know the name of Nicolaus Copernicus and how he changed our understanding of the world.

What historico-scientific anniversaries have you been marking in your homeschool this Orion Term? ๐Ÿ˜Š

โกโ€…Explore more: For a quick homeschool review of the Renaissance, the historical period in which Copernicus lived, turn to pages 250โ€“253 in your River Houses history encyclopedia, and for an overview of the Scientific Revolution that he helped to spark see pages 266โ€“267. It’s just the background you need for a wonderful homeschool history lesson.ย ๐Ÿ“š

โกโ€…Stay in the loop: This is one of our occasional posts on Homeschool Holidays & History. Add your name to our weekly mailing list and get great homeschool teaching ideas delivered right to your mailbox all through the year.ย ๐Ÿ—ž

โกโ€…Support our work: If you enjoy the educational materials we distribute each week, please support our work and the noble cause of homeschooling by making a small donation as a Friend of the River Houses! Your support keeps us going and growing!ย ๐Ÿ˜Š

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