Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), a Polish astronomer who proposed that Earth and other planets orbit the Sun, not the other way around.
Named after the historical astronomer; the surname derives from Kopernik, a town in Poland. His Latinized name became famous after his revolutionary heliocentric theory challenged medieval beliefs about the universe's structure.
Copernicus never published his main work until he was on his deathbed—he was terrified of being persecuted by the Church for saying Earth wasn't the center of everything. His fear was justified: his book was actually banned for 200 years!
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