Definition of Heliocentric Theory

Although this theory was presented as early as the lll century BC. C for the astronomer Greek Aristarchus of Samos, his final creation took place in the seventeenth century. It was formulated by Nicholas Copernicus, a Polish monk who revolutionized the astronomy.

From ancient times to the seventeenth century the scientific community and theologians defended the geocentric theory. According to his postulates, the Earth is the center of the universe and the Sun and all the planets revolved around it.

The new one conception of Copernicus ended the paradigm of geocentrism. Thus, in heliocentrism it is stated that the Sun occupies the center of the universe and that the Earth and the planets revolve around it.

Is the heliocentric proposal correct?

At present the scientific community validates this theory, but only partially. New research calls into question some aspects of heliocentrism.

Keep in mind that a century after Copernicus, the astronomer Johannes Kepler presented new data that contradicted the

thesis of Copernicus. Kepler showed that the trajectories of the planets were not completely circular, but were elliptical and varied from velocity as they approached the Sun.

On the other hand, it is considered that Copernicus did not know how to distinguish the idea of ​​the universe and the galaxy, since the Sun is the center of our galaxy but not of the universe.

To the margin Of these errors, Copernicus' heliocentric approach is accepted as valid by the scientific community.

An idea that changed the image of the world and that displaced the human being from the center of the universe

Heliocentrism represented a revolution scientific of the first order. This paradigm shift affected astronomy and other scientific fields and disciplines. Despite its undeniable success, when the new theory was presented, Catholic theologians were radically opposed to it because it contradicted Holy Scripture and the great philosopher Aristotle.

Copernicus himself knew that his investigations were going to generate a great controversy within the church and for this reason he decided not to publish his work on the heliocentric theory (Copernicus died in 1543 and his work "On the revolutions of the celestial spheres" was published a year after his death).

We must not forget, on the other hand, that in the eighteenth century Galileo Galilei was accused of heresy and forced to renounce his ideas when he tried to consolidate the Copernican theses.

Photos: Fotolia - Marek Klimek / Adwo

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